The Dundonald Liberation Army

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If someone's saying 'I'm not going to watch that, I don't like politics', trust me: there's a lot more to it than that.” For Stephen, along with that sense of accomplishment will be the memory of three young men who lost their lives in the last few years. In honour of them, he has teamed up with the suicide prevention charity PIPS to offer billboard advertising throughout the promotional campaign for Vote DLA, as well as pledging to make a donation at the end of the run. However, it seems that the ongoing read-through and rehearsal process for the play is still an essential part of the staging process, as Large explains. They are both great to work with – and we're friends as well, so it's not just a working relationship," explains Large, who is currently developing a dramatic screenplay titled Normal Lives set amid the explosion of ecstasy culture in the wake of the Good Friday Agreement.

Following a recent sell-out run in The MAC, the Dundonald Liberation Army are set to cause havoc on the Grand Opera House next year. Talking to the Vote DLA gang in an otherwise empty studio space at the Grand Opera House, it’s clear they are having fun with the climactic show. They even put up Vote DLA posters round town in the run-up to the recent council elections, maybe confusing some voters in the process.

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Meanwhile, on Derry’s storied walls, which loom large in Protestant memory because of a Catholic siege in 1689, the balance teeters between hope and historical obsession. This year an Anglican cleric—working with Mr Burgess, the playwright, who is Presbyterian—is using the fortifications to stage an Easter passion play. But, as is usual with public events in the city these days, people of all faiths and none are helping out. ■ In the weeks that followed the statement, Dundonald and Lisburn were thrust into conflict as DLA water-bombs burst across the new ‘super-council’. By in large, the DLA enjoyed the unwavering support of the Dundonald people but anyone who was found to be dissenting would be severely dealt with. The DLA ruled their territory with an iron rod and administered ‘de-baggings’ to anyone found to be engaging in anti-social behaviour or who was outspoken against their regime.

Other notable roles include ‘John Crazy Horse’ in Dog DLA Afternoon and ‘Dave’ in David Hull’s production of Dirty Dusting , both at Grand Opera House Belfast and Three Sisters at the Lyric Theatre.TV credits include: Give My Head Peace (BBC NI) and Touched by an Angel (CBS), William of Orangefield (Blap, Channel 4) As the last of a trilogy, Vote DLA will be the culmination of nearly a decade’s work, as the shows have progressed from the Opera House’s Baby Grand studio to The MAC and now to the magnificent main auditorium at the Opera House. For Stephen, the opening night will be a proud moment. Of course, and this is the interesting bit, Davy the former terrorist – sorry freedom fighter – wants real power so makes the transition to mainstream politics. Horse, the passionate Dundonaldian, isn’t happy in the end. The loss of his younger brother and his friend, followed soon after by the pandemic, made for a very difficult time in the playwright’s life. However, he found solace in his work, and he hopes that the new show next week will be able to provide a measure of respite for some in the audience. Large adds: "Martin Lynch said to me that Dog DLA Afternoon, 'reeked of working class Protestantism'. When we were working on Three's A Shroud, he also told me that I was doing something that he'd never seen before – that I was 'bringing young working class Protestant men into the theatre'.

He’s the top man or miscreant of the DLA and represents a portmanteau of all sorts of illustrious figures. Wasn’t there one loyalist paramilitary known as the Mexican?” Laughter breaks out. To be honest, I didn’t totally last the course. The second half contained a brief, video-led storming of the hated Lisburn and Castlereagh Council chamber, and a funny Stephen Nolan show spoof with the three political figures debating the big issues. More seriously, the group have concerns about the fact Northern Ireland hasn’t a functioning Assembly at the moment. McCabe comments that this is a slap in the face: “We’re so jaded by it now. We’ve had years without government.” The Dundonald Liberation Army has announced they are standing for election and want you to cast your votes when they take to the stage of the Grand Opera House later this year. But they clearly haven’t and they joke about there not being enough nudity in the play for Matthew McElhinney’s liking. Jo Donnelly adds: “It’s lovely in this show to have no fear, you just have to let go of preconceptions.”You mean when people pretend it’s the last one, but go on as it’s good marketing?” jokes Gerard. Large agrees: “They’ve gone as far as they can go. There’s a kind of happy ending, with a sting in the tail.” But although it gained audience applause, I’m not sure the Tina Turner Simply the Best sequence, with beautiful tribute photo and dates of the late great singer, entirely worked.

As for the plot of their latest DLA outing, Large says that it's "my take on the pandemic – but moreso".I wanted an illustration. The actors agreed to do a scene or two. First, we had an illustration of the bad stuff that is meat and drink to satirical playwrights. It dealt, naturally, with money and expenses, with Davy the Venezuelan, clearly nouveau riche at heart, claiming he was so thirsty after working for the council away from home that he had to stay over in a hotel and quaff quite a bit of thirst-quenching Champagne more or less for health reasons.