Cahoots NI Hall of Fun Production

Prepare for some serious fun at Belfast's City Hall this week, especially if you have the hottest ticket in town. The Hall of Fun has taken over the venerable building, bringing good old-fashioned variety and major magic to spaces including the marble pillared east wing, rotunda, council chamber, Banqueting Hall and Great Hall for some of the best illusions you're likely to see outside of Las Vegas. I couldn't begin to describe the hillarious magical mystery tour we partook in, but I'll give you a flavour. There were illusions and daring escapes. There were singing headless ladies and legless ladies and giant beds of nails crashing down on the Table of Death. There was a mini Lord Mayor elected during a special "live"Hearts and Minds broadcast by Noel Thompson. There was a butler called Igor and a magic box suspended high up in the Rotunda and a coffin with a transylvanian Count who cam to life before our eyes. First of all, my cheeks hurt from laughing and then I may have screamed the loudest during the spectacular finale of the show: best night out for ages; packed with full-on fun!

I looked round and thought that this was exactly what the Celebrate Belfast festival is all about - a great night out as well as learning about the history of the building from the John Luke mural to the workings of BCC. If you have a ticket for one of the performances, guard it like a golden ticket to Willy Wonka's chocolate factory and set your laughter meter to 11.