'˜Our House' by Ballymoney cast was one step beyond!

The Madness Musical '˜Our House' came bursting onto the stage of the Riverside Theatre courtesy of Northern Lights Theatre Company recently.
Warming up for the performanceWarming up for the performance
Warming up for the performance

The performing arts students of the Ballymoney campus of the Northern Regional College brought the hits of the ‘Nutty Boys’ to life in the form of ‘Our House’.

Trying to impress Sarah, the girl of his dreams, Joe breaks into a building development overlooking his home on Casey Street but things take a turn for the worse as the police turn up. Joe’s life splits in two - the Good Joe who stays and gives himself up and the Bad Joe who flees and leaves Sarah to run from the police. ‘Our House’ follows the two paths that Joe’s life could take after that fateful night.

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Eoin Toner handled the tricky task of playing two characters in one - Bad/Good Joe with associated lightning fast costume changes.

Cherith McCook and Mary KearnsCherith McCook and Mary Kearns
Cherith McCook and Mary Kearns

Mum and Dad Casey were played by a fiercely caring Darrian Quigg and an outstanding character actor Kurtis Given (young James Corden springs to mind).

Providing the romantic foil to Joe was Abigail Fullerton as Sarah who also handled the dual storyline of Bad/Good Joe admirably.

Her two school mates were given great characterisation by Cherith McCook and Mary Kearns as Angie and Billie.

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Joe’s hapless but loyal pals were played by Tommy O’Neill and Isaac Malcolm who portrayed the soft-hearted characters well.

Darrian Quigg, Eoin Toner and Kurtis Given.Darrian Quigg, Eoin Toner and Kurtis Given.
Darrian Quigg, Eoin Toner and Kurtis Given.

An incredibly mature and assured performance came from Peader McKinney as the Matrix look-a-like Reecey.

The main characters were backed up by an energetic ensemble who clearly threw themselves into the era of Ska - despite not even being born during the Madness mania days.

Directed by Paul McMaster, choreographed by Kelly Neill with Musical Director Jonny Boyd leading the L3 Music students in the band, the show was fun all the way and really was ‘One Step Beyond’

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