Three Pay Days

Anna’s been working hard to get back on her feet.

She’s can’t catch a break since COVID pulled the rug from under her.

She’s working in a café over in South Belfast. Boss is nice enough, with her expensive perfume and shiny white trainers, but the money isn’t great. Not great for Anna anyway. On top of the café, the boss is raking it in through her AirBnB side-hustle. So, there is enough money to go around. It’s just not going around.

Whilst navigating bills and childcare costs, Anna’s stuck in a dodgy rental with damp walls and a leaking roof, wondering what needs to change for the money to trickle down.

The boss could easily afford to pay her properly.

The landlady could easily make the house more habitable.

But they know there are plenty of workers and tenants out there. Ones who will stay quiet to keep food on the table and any sort of a roof over their heads.

And what about the government? Surely they can do better than the 13+ years of austerity that has pushed so many in Belfast to the edge?

Jesus said “feed the hungry, lift the lowly, send the rich away.”

That was over 2000 years ago, can our government not get a grip?

From the producer of Not On Our Watch, and the writer of The Half Moon, Three Pay Days is a searing portrayal of the human cost of austerity within a rigged social security system.

Commissioned by EastSide Arts with funding from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland Commissioning Fund.

Presented with funding from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland,

Written by Alice Malseed

Directed by Paula McFetridge

Produced by Kabosh & EastSide Arts

Part of EastSide Arts Festival 2024>>