Down Arts Centre Hosts Musical Tribute To Van Morrison

DOWN Arts Centre have a varied programme of entertainment planned for this weekend.  C21 Theatre Company present Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet on Thursday 3 October at 8pm, followed by Celtic Soul, a tribute to one of Ireland’s most loved musicians, Van Morrison on Saturday 5 October at 8pm.

[caption id="attachment_42712" align="alignleft" width="390"]Celtic Soul from Armagh are to play in a tribute to Van Morrison at Down Arts Centre. Celtic Soul from Armagh are to play in a tribute to Van Morrison at Down Arts Centre.[/caption]

On Thursday 3 October, C21 Theatre Company will present a thrilling bite-size production of Shakespeare’s celebrated tale of ‘A pair of star-cross’d lovers’, Romeo and Juliet.  This turbo-charged, pared-down version distils all the beauty, violence and tragedy of the original, with a dynamic cast bringing Shakespeare’s words to exhilarating new life.  Fair Verona leaps off the page in this tale of love, hate, rebellion and heartbreak.

It has been a good year for local fans of Van Morrison, but if you missed Van the Man at Castleward you can catch Celtic Soul, a tribute to the singer on Saturday 5 October at Down Arts Centre.  As Van’s ‘Coney Island’ says, the band will be ‘stopping off in Downpatrick’.

The 7-piece band tribute has been receiving critical acclaim from devout Van fans wherever they perform. BBC’s Ralph McLean, a massive fan himself, has called them ‘a great band’ and ‘a very fine tribute’.  With more years than they care to remember playing in blues, folk, trad and jazz bands these musicians have the ingredients to combine and deliver Van’s music authentically.Romeo and Juliet

With songs like ‘Cyprus Avenue’, ‘Coney Island’, ‘Days Like This’, ‘Jackie Wilson Said’, ‘Ballerina’, ‘Have I Told you Lately’ and of course – ‘Brown Eyed Girl’, Celtic Soul will take you on a journey through the songbook of a musical legend.

To purchase tickets (Romeo and Juliet £10 / £8; Celtic Soul £12 / £10) and for further information on any Down Arts Centre events, please contact the box office on 028 4461 0747. The complete Down Arts Centre Season Programme is available to download at : www.downartscentre.com

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