•             Directed by Tinderbox Theatre Company, The Upside Down House, a new play by Belfast-based Playwright Ciaran Haggerty, will run from 22nd October to 2nd November 2025 at the MAC.

•             Tickets start at £15 and are available now at themaclive.com and belfastinternationalartsfestival.com

The Upside Down House, a bold new production from Tinderbox Theatre Company, written by Ciaran Haggerty, is set to run at the MAC from 22nd October to 2nd November 2025.

A heartfelt and visually striking work, the play, funded by the Arts Council NI, will premiere at the Belfast International Arts Festival and marks the company’s debut as the MAC’s newly announced associate Theatre Company.

Reflecting on the play, Ciaran Haggerty, Playwright and Producer, Tinderbox Theatre Company, said:

“A first love story, one last time, The Upside Down House is a time-bending, dreamlike journey through memory, love, and letting go. When OLDER returns to the abandoned house of his youth, he’s confronted by the memory of his first love, and together they relive the highs and lows of their secret romance as the house collapses around them.” 

Following two consecutive years of sold-out successes with Rhino and Yerma, and fresh from winning major UK theatre awards in 2025, Tinderbox’s latest innovative production features striking projection design that transforms the stage into a living memory, blending theatrical storytelling with visual effects reminiscent of a graphic novel.

The two-man show features acclaimed In the Name of the Son actor Shaun Blaney, fresh from the UK and Ireland tour of Stones in His Pockets, alongside Colm McCready—creator of Scaredy Fat, winner of the First Fortnight Award at Dublin Fringe 2024 for Shame Show and recipient of the Les Enfants Terribles LET Award.

Sharing his excitement as production gets underway, Patrick J O’Reilly, Artistic Director for Tinderbox Theatre Company said:

“The Upside Down House is a story that beautifully captures the moment we fall in love for the first time. Ciaran Haggerty’s play explores the innocence of love and the heartache that follows when that love is not accepted by the world. It is a gay coming-of-age story, where past experiences shape our present as we seek acceptance and connection, not only with others but, most importantly, with ourselves.

“The play promises to be a visual feast for the senses, a tonic for the heart, and a love letter to the mind.”

Caoileann Curry-Thompson, Arts Development Officer for Literature, Drama and Dance at the Arts Council of Northern Ireland said:

“The Upside Down House is a thrilling new play by Ciaran Haggerty and Tinderbox Theatre Company, and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland is proud to support this powerful new work.  I would encourage everyone to experience it as part of this year’s brilliant Belfast International Arts Festival. Don’t miss out!”

With play-goers encouraged to ‘Think Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind meets Normal People’, The Upside Down House promises to be a visceral dive into the places we can’t forget and the people we never stop loving.

Tickets are now available from themaclive.com and belfastinternationalartsfestival.com