After a long week spent studying in the McClay, there is nothing I love more than to go out for the evening. One of the best things about living in Belfast is its amazing and diverse arts scene, particularly its theatres. I love going to plays, musicals, operas and anything else I can get a ticket to, but it can be an expensive hobby to have. Here is my guide to a cultural night out in Belfast and how to enjoy the performing arts on a student budget.

The Lyric Theatre

The Lyric Theatre is the only full-time producing theatre in Northern Ireland. It’s situated just off the Stranmillis Road, less than a 15 minutes’ walk from Queen’s.

It has a diverse programme of shows on its stage, both its own productions and those touring from other theatres in the UK and Ireland. It also contains a small venue called the Naughton Studio. With just 120 seats, it usually hosts smaller-scale events like rehearsed readings or productions by emerging writers. The Lyric also has accessible performances for every show, including British/Irish Sign Language and audio-described showings.

^{The Lyric Theatre is located less than 15 minutes from Queen's}

The Lyric’s student ambassador scheme is one of my favourite student discounts in Belfast. By filling out a form and emailing it to the theatre, you can get tickets starting from £12 on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, plus matinées. You just need to present your student card when picking up your ticket at the Box Office.

They will undoubtedly have something for everyone as their programme includes both brand new shows and reinventions of the classics. I recently saw the Lyric’s own version of Romeo and Juliet on the main stage and the production was fantastic!

^{The Lyric Theatre offers both brand new shows and reinventions of the classics}

If you are a student interested in writing for theatre, they also have writing calls a few times a year where you can send in your scripts for consideration.

The Lyric also has a lovely café open during the day, which doubles as a pre-show bar in the evenings. It is one of my favourite lesser-known study spots in Belfast, you can grab a sandwich or try some of their speciality coffees while working. It even has one of the best views in the Queen’s Quarter, straight out over the River Lagan.

The Grand Opera House

Belfast’s Grand Opera House is the premier theatre in Northern Ireland. Built in 1895, the Victorian architecture and plush red and gold interiors will take your breath away! It is situated in the city centre not too far from the Queen’s Quarter and puts on musicals, operas, dances, comedies and more. A few months ago, I saw The Ocean at the End of the Lane on tour from the National Theatre in London, it was fantastic and our floor seats were reasonably well priced for such a high-end production.

^{The Grand Opera House showcases a variety of performances}

If you tend to be a bit last-minute planning your nights out, the Opera House could be perfect for you! They have discounted ‘stand-by’ tickets for students for certain shows, available to purchase from 6pm on the night of the performance.

There is also a recently renovated bar on the first floor which is perfect for getting pre-show or interval drinks.

^{For a proper night out at the theatre, grab your friends, get dressed up in your best and head to the Opera House!}

Belvoir Studio Theatre

The Belvoir Studio Theatre is a 200-seat theatre located on the outskirts of Belfast. They put on a large range of shows; and Queen’s own Musical Theatre Society recently did a run of High School Musical there. Be sure to check out their programme to see what’s coming up!

The Waterfront Hall

The Waterfront Hall hosts various conferences and events and has a much larger capacity than the other venues, seating over 2000. It isn’t as oriented towards theatre as the other venues, but it still puts on a wide variety of performing arts, hosting comedy nights, concerts, dances and more. I recently went to The Magical Music of Harry Potter, a night of orchestral music from the famous films. One of its best attributes is that due to the tiered structure, there are no ‘bad’ seats. If you book early and don’t mind sitting a bit further up/back, the prices can be pretty affordable on a student budget!

^{Image courtesy of NI Tourist Board}

The Accidental Theatre

The Accidental Theatre is a small performing arts venue hidden away on Shaftesbury Square, just a few minutes’ walk from Queen’s. If you have an interest in improv theatre, local comedy and experimental music, it’s the place for you! Tickets start from as little as £5 for some events.

This concludes a guide to some, but certainly not all of the performing arts spaces in Belfast. Theatre can undoubtedly be expensive but with some student discounts and careful planning, it’s definitely possible to work some culture into a student budget. I hope you will take this as a sign to get some friends together and enjoy a night at the theatre in Belfast!

Find out more

Art and Culture in Belfast

Events and Festivals

Study Languages at Queen's

Zoë Totten French and Spanish | Undergraduate Student | NI I'm a final year French and Spanish student from Northern Ireland who has recently returned from my Year Abroad. In my time at Queen's I have been involved in QUB Sign, the French society, the Spanish and Portuguese society and the Students Against Human Trafficking Society. When I'm not in class you will find me crocheting, going to concerts or getting coffee with friends!