Accidental Theatre: US Election hangout + Hey You! + final two scratch nights

I feel like I have a physical connection to Accidental Theatre’s current premises up on the fourth floor of Wellington Buildings. Back in the summed of 1993, along with another student, I stood on top of desks and fitted some of the diffusers in the ceiling lights that are still there. While Ronnie the doorman no longer guards the ground floor foyer, the rounded square lift buttons still wobble more than they depress.

After two years, the theatre space is moving out and moving elsewhere. But they’ve some special treats before they slip away into the night at the end of November and break the spell of my reminiscences.

Accidental Theatre are marking the US Presidential Election – no one seems keen to hold their breath over the other 435 House of Representative races or the 34 Senate seats that will be filled – with an all night election special starting at 9pm on Tuesday 8 November promising multi-screen coverage from news channels, the all night book bar* with caffeinated specials, a quiet nap room with pillows and blankets and breakfast between 7-9am. Tickets prices £3-£10 depend on when you arrive and how long you plan to stay!

As part of Belfast Comedy Festival, audiences got an all too quick introduction to sagging testosterone snake oil salesman Brad Peelawn with his attacks on futile male dieting in the high metabolic satire Hey You! Written by Joe Nawaz and directed by Emily Foran, Aaron Hickland will be stepping back into the over-polished shoes of Brad three nights this week.

“In a world full of snake oil charmers, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to know exactly how best to make a futile gesture with your money.”

Wednesday 9, Thursday 10 and Friday 11 November at 8pm. Tickets from £6. The book bar* opens at 7.30pm.

*Every second hand book purchased comes with a free drink that corresponds to the coloured sticker on the book. If the book’s too heavy to take home, there’s a bin to recycle the dead tree. Oddly, no one leaves their free drink behind.

Later on in the month there will be two final scratch nights in the old venue, with three different performances on Friday 18 (Curious Doings, Maggie Cronin, Marina Hampton) and Friday 25 November (Jimmy Kerr, Joe Nawaz, Caitlin Magnall-Kearns).