Special prize* for anyone I know who hasn’t thrown out Monday’s Irish News. DM me! * gratitude has no monetary value!

17 October - the Crescent Arts Centre will host BBC Politics Any Questions? BBC Radio 4's #bbcaq visits a different part of the UK every week with a panel of 4 speakers who answer questions from the audience. Tickets are limited so early booking is recommended! bit.ly/TCAnyQOct24

REVIEW – Wasted – no money, no phone, no keys, no friend, no memory, and maybe no way of knowing what happened (Bruiser Theatre Company, touring theatres & schools/colleges) alaninbelfast.blogspot.com/2024/09/wasted…

All this and more on this afternoon’s #TheTicket bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0…

“My advice is, if you wouldn’t put a tin opener in their hands, probably best not to put the economic stability of the country there either.”

Stephen Farry has resigned as deputy leader of the Alliance Party. The former Stormont executive minister and North Down MP, who lost his seat in July's general election, had been deputy leader since 2016. Alliance Party statement 👇

no jokes, no messing about, just truly honoured to have won the John McGahern Prize for Fiction grateful to the organisers, and to Frank Shovlin for this gorgeous profile in The Irish Times, and to Colm Tóibín (The Laureate for Irish Fiction) for choosing Close to Home irishtimes.com/culture/books/…

REVIEW – Reawakening – the return of a prodigal daughter poses more questions than it answers (Queen's Film Theatre from Friday 13 September) alaninbelfast.blogspot.com/2024/09/reawak…

Very interesting - and stark - detail in this FactCheckNI piece on deprivation. Very clear, whether you’re in Derry, West Belfast, Portadown or any point in between, we are being let down and failed across almost every domain of consideration. More here: factcheckni.org/articles/is-de…

REVIEW – The Doppler Effect – revised and rebalanced but still a mesmerising experience (thebelfastensemble at The MAC until Saturday 14 September) alaninbelfast.blogspot.com/2024/09/the-do…

To mark the Last Night of the Proms, but also Scooby Doo's 55th birthday, I play the Scooby Doo theme tune in the style of the Russian classics. And I'd have gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for you meddling kids... BBC Proms BBC Radio 3

REVIEW – Eugene Onégin – in which Tatyana stands up to a crushing cad (NorthernIrelandOpera at Grand Opera House, Belfast until 21 September) alaninbelfast.blogspot.com/2024/09/eugene…

Monday morning and at Ebrington Hotel to support Dr. Aisling Swaine’s report launch about Paramilitary-related Gendered Coercive Control with Foyle Women's Aid

"I seriously think this is bigger than the Oasis reunion," said Miss Hoolie about the Balamory revival. incredible scenes. bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

It’s true that I really like this play!

The BBC has acquired the American version of HIGNFY, with the first episode airing after Newsnight tonight. It will also be available on iPlayer.

A fabulous thread about NI art and culture

#factcheckingNightsleeper! “The entire UK rail network is now just a model railway in someone’s attic” (except the separate NI bit)