All Belfast's a Stage - historical theatre walking tour
20 Jul 2025 - 9 Nov 2025
THE TOUR MUST GO ON!
Join Alternative Ulstours' Andrew Johnston on a walking tour through Belfast theatre history, telling a tale of four centuries of comedy and tragedy!
Revisit the locations of some of the city's formative thespian performances, and applaud the characters involved, both on stage and 'behind the curtain'.
The 'Palace of Varieties' where a 'who's who' have trodden the boards
The many incarnations of 'Theatreland's' Edwardian marvel
Bedford Street's home of new writing and comedy
May Street's Victorian gem, demolished for an office block
The right 'Royal' story of Belfast's first large auditorium
Music hall memories of Belfast's original Empire Theatre
On Ann Street, one of Belfast's earliest theatres to open - and to close
The establishment where 'children or servants' weren't welcome
Dramatic scenes - staged, and horrifically real - at Belfast's first public hall
The lost theatre that booked big names for 40 guineas a night
Fires and phantoms at Belfast's rowdiest house of entertainment!
Third time lucky for this bar-turned-cinema-turned theatre
The Smithfield venues that thrived amidst 'social degeneration'
Noble patronage at Millfield's prestigious playhouse
Please note:
The walking tour starts outside the Grand Opera House on Great Victoria Street in Belfast city centre, where your guide will be waiting for you
Please arrive 10 minutes before the scheduled start time
The tour will last two hours and cover around one and a half miles on mainly flat, even ground
The route is fully accessible, but please inform us in advance of any mobility issues
The tour ends at Ibis Belfast City Centre on Castle Street in Belfast city centre
The tour will go ahead in all weathers, so please dress accordingly and stay hydrated
There are public toilets near the start and end points, and we can make a toilet stop approximately halfway through the tour if required
Well-behaved dogs are welcome on the tour
Your guide is a Level 4 'blue badge' tour guide and Visit Belfast industry partner
The tour is fully insured through Tour Guides NI