Sparkle

Director: Neil Hunter, Tom Hunsinger

Year: 2001

Shocked by the death of a friend, three men try to take their lives in hand. But how far will they go? A gay man falls under the spell of a young woman. How far will his heart betray him? A happily married man encounters a wonderful french woman at the funeral - and says too much. Should he meet her again? A young man returns after years travelling, searching for that elusive 'something' in his life, and finally finds the woman of his dreams in his own back yard. But will he have to lose his best friend for love? Three stories intermingle, intertwine and glance off each other to reveal surprising perspectives in this sharp look at the human comedy of love.

Director: Conor McPherson

Year: 2026

Set in a remote pub in rural Ireland, four local men - Jack, Brendan, Jim, and Finbar - gather for their nightly pints. Their routine is disrupted when Finbar introduces Valerie, a newcomer from Dublin. To impress her, the men trade eerie local folklore and ghost stories. However, the mood shifts profoundly when Valerie reveals the tragic, personal reason for her arrival. Far from a simple thriller, the play is a tender, intimate exploration of deep-seated loneliness, the comfort of shared storytelling, and the delicate human need for connection amidst the isolation of the countryside.

Director: Nataša Cordeaux

Year: 2026

Bill, a timid and overworked Brit, impulsively books a beach escape in the hope of unwinding. On arrival, he's greeted by a mysterious Balkan baba and follows her into the flat of her daughter, Sunny - an eccentric former travel agent. “Welcome to paradise, my darling,” Sunny beams, rebranding their small home into a VIP holiday experience. Out of his depth, Bill is soon commandeered by Sunny’s persuasive upselling and is roped into a unique beach excursion - pay per hour. Each day brings another increasingly absurd encounter: a coffee-cup fortune becomes a massage sales pitch, while an innocent nap takes a strange turn. Yet amidst the oddness, Sunny and Baka’s boundless hospitality and growing fondness for having a man around the house begin to make Bill feel at home. On his final morning, Bill discovers that his bed is actually Baka's bed. Sitting together on the balcony, he confesses his deep dark secret: he’s never been on holiday before and worries he’s doing it wrong. “What a silly thing to worry about,” Sunny says. Bill decides it’s a great day for the beach. Business is back on as Sunny and Baka bicker about how many sandwiches they can sell.