Epic east Belfast Love Story ‘A Bomber’s Moon’ Marks 85th Anniversary of Belfast Blitz at The Sanctuary Theatre This April
Bright Umbrella Theatre Company is proud to present A Bomber’s Moon, a sweeping new production at The Sanctuary Theatre, east Belfast, from Tuesday 14th April – Sunday 19th April 2026. Co-written by Trevor Gill and Sam Robinson, directed by Trevor Gill, this epic love story spans time and generations. Coinciding with the 85th anniversary commemorations of the Belfast Blitz, A Bomber’s Moon also reflects on the devastating Luftwaffe air raids on the city in 1941.
At its heart is Sadie “Minty” Murray (Leah Williamson), a 20-year-old with a love for dancing, a wee glass of stout, and an unbreakable spirit. Minty’s world is turned upside down as bombs rain down on her city. Amid smoke, rubble, and heartbreak, she discovers loves lost and found with aircrew member Frank Warnock (Glenn McGivern) and Drogheda fireman Sean O’Connor (John Travers), faces unexpected truths, and begins to see her beloved father, Jamesy ‘Jangling Jamesy’ Murray (Andrew Porter), in a very different light.
A Bomber’s Moon is a poignant, darkly humorous exploration of love, loss, and identity during WWII as well as other historic moments in Belfast’s history, showing how ordinary people find courage and connection amid extraordinary times.
Under the fearful glow of a Bomber’s Moon in 1941, Mountpottinger Church in east Belfast offered sanctuary to families struck by the Belfast Blitz, including those on Thorndyke Street and Ulster Hospital, where bombs claimed lives and destroyed homes. The church’s pews once held worshippers connected to the RMS Titanic and honour those lost in the Great War. Today, as home to Bright Umbrella’s Sanctuary Theatre, it transforms that history into performance, hosting A Bomber’s Moon within walls steeped in resilience, remembrance, and community, allowing audiences to experience the echoes of wartime stories of survival and hope.
Director and co-writer Trevor Gill said:
“We are proud to bring A Bomber’s Moon to The Sanctuary Theatre, especially during the 85th Anniversary commemorations of the Belfast Blitz, which devasted the whole city especially east Belfast. This story is about east Belfast people – their wit, their courage, and the way love can survive even in the darkest of times. We hope we have created something that feels both intimate and epic, grounded in real lives and real voices.”
Co-writer Sam Robinson added:
“At its core, this is a love story that weaves throughout history but has its beginnings on the streets of east Belfast during WWII. It’s also a story about the hard decisions that are taken when faced with reality, as well as those moments that shape us and the truths we discover when everything familiar is shaken.”
Performance dates are Tuesday 14th April – Sunday 19th April 2026. Tickets available from www.brightumbrella.co.uk or by calling The Sanctuary Theatre Box Office on 07305 069597. Follow Bright Umbrella on Facebook and Instagram. This production contains scenes of violence and sexual content and is recommended for audiences aged 16 and over.
Cast:
Frank Warnock and Rab Keenan Glenn McGivern
Sadie “Minty” Murray Leah Williamson
Sean O’Connor and Rev. James Redmond
and Crawford McFarland John Travers
Jamesy Murray and Mr. Albert Smilie Andrew Porter
Creative Team:
Director: Trevor Gill
Script Advisor: Sam Robinson
Stage Manager: Emma Dawson
Production Assistant: Matt Grimes
Lights: Karl Smyth
Fight Coordinator: Marina Hampton
Props & Costume: Beth Nicholl
Assistant Director / Company Manager: Lindsay Charrington
Set Construction: PJ Davey
Recorded voices :
Wellington Bomber Pilot / BBC Wartime Home Service Graham Chipperfield
Wellington Navigator George Spelvin
Modern Day BBC Announcer Sue Lawley
About Bright Umbrella
Bright Umbrella is a professional theatre company operating from its home venue, The Sanctuary Theatre, in east Belfast. It produces its own shows and receives visiting shows, non-professional and professional.
The Sanctuary Theatre is housed in one of the oldest buildings in east Belfast (1875) – a former Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church. It has two spaces – a 50-seat Studio and licensed bar, and a 120-seat main space.
In 2026 it will undergo a £1 million redevelopment with funding from Peace+ EU funding via Belfast City Council.
About The Sanctuary Theatre
Mountpottinger Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church, one of east Belfast’s oldest buildings, has served the Ballymacarrett community since 1875 and is now home to Bright Umbrella’s Sanctuary Theatre.
The church is closely linked to both World Wars. Memorial plaques honour congregants who died in the Great War, including Captain James Davidson of the nearby Sirocco Works. Some Titanic shipbuilders once worshipped in its pews.
During the 1941 Belfast Blitz, the church sheltered bombed families as nearby Thorndyke Street and the Ulster Hospital were devastated. In total, 987 citizens died in the Spring 1941 air raids under the Bomber’s Moon.
About the phrase A Bomber’s Moon
A Bomber’s Moon refers to a bright full moon during the Second World War that illuminated the landscape, almost like daylight. This extra light helped bomber aircrews visually locate and strike their targets at night, before modern navigation systems existed. The term became associated with nights when air raids were more likely because the moonlight made navigation and target‑finding easier.
