Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival 2024 programme to see new play by Whitehead man staged at The MAC Belfast

Matthew Sharpe’s ‘I’ve always liked the name Marcus’ will be running at the city centre venue from May 1-5.

Funded by Arts Council NI, the funny and thought-provoking play invites the audience to join Marcus as he navigates the complexities of identity and diversity.

Written and performed by Matthew in collaboration with Tinderbox Theatre Company, the dynamic, multimedia production, directed by Patrick J. O’Reilly, draws inspiration from Matthew’s own life experiences.

Raised in Northern Ireland with mixed-race heritage, Marcus has always gone along with society’s stereotypes to fit in. From posing as a rap superstar to flexing his muscles as a gym bro, he’s tried them all. But when an audition makes him question his true self, Marcus faces the ultimate dilemma – who is he, really?

Part coming-of-age story and part exploration of racial identity, audiences are invited to follow the funny and provocative escapade as Marcus embarks on a quest of self-discovery, peeling back the layers of societal expectations to uncover the truth buried deep within himself.

Patrick J O’Reilly, Tinderbox Artistic Director, said, “We are thrilled to be presenting this unique but universal tale of personal identity by Matthew Sharpe. Matthew’s script is hilarious, challenging, and provocative. Audiences will be entertained, but they’ll also be provoked to think about our society here in Belfast in a new way. Matthew generously shares his experience of race in Northern Irish society, offering a fresh perspective. We are excited to be collaborating with a dynamic creative team and layering in many different theatre forms to present this visual and aurally dynamic piece for audiences at the MAC.”

Caoileann Curry-Thompson, Drama and Dance Officer, Arts Council of Northern Ireland added: “[We] are delighted to support Tinderbox’s commitment to supporting new and emerging artists like Matthew with National Lottery funding. The calibre of Matthew’s work, combined with Tinderbox’s expertise in script mentoring, set design and production, have culminated in ‘Marcus’, a timely and original play that deals with identity and racial diversity in NI today. Please go see this at The MAC Belfast; it’s brand new and not to be missed.”

Tickets are available from themaclive.com or cqaf.com