Tensions are running high in the West Belfast auditorium. "What ceasefire," somebody shouts. "We could have the Brits out in two years," says another. "It's not worth the loss of one more life," comes the counter-argument. There is anger and passion in the voices, and you have to remind yourself that the people you're watching are actors, rehearsing a play, Bin Lids, which is expected to be one of the highlights of this year's West Belfast festival, Feile na Phobail, which starts tomorrow. The play tells the story of life in West Belfast from the introduction of internment in 1971 to the founding of the feile in 1988 - the ceasefire under discussion is the one of 1972 - and is an unusual joint production, involving actors from the professional DubbelJoint company and local women from Just Us community Theatre. Most of the women got their first taste of acting at last year's festival production, Just A Prisoners's Wife. Bin Lids is a vehicle for a drama training scheme the women are undertaking.
The Artistic Director of DubbelJoint, Pam Brighton, who is directing Bin Lids says local people also wrote the script. "So much has been written about West Belfast, but by people from outside. Everybody thinks they know how people here think. The women have gained so much by being able to say in their own words the way they feel about their lives and the events that shaped them," she says.
The play ends with the founding of the feile, which this year is celebrating its 10th anniversary, having grown to be one of the biggest community festivals in Europe. Feile director Catriona Ruane, says it was founded at a time when the West Belfast community was being "censored, vilified and labelled".
The aim, she says, was to allow the local community "to take control of its own image-making, and to create a showcase of creativity, talent and energy". It was also designed to bring people into an area that was "closed off economically, politically and culturally".
A community development approach has paid off. Over the past 10 years, the festival has grown beyond anybody's expectations. In addition to the central committee, there are now 42 local committees, which also organise events in their own areas. A total of 400 events are included in this year's bilingual programme. It is festival policy to promote local talent as well as bringing in big names such as Christy Moore, Frances Black and Dickie Rock. As well as music of all varieties, there are exhibitions, sports events, a community arts project, an international food fair, a carnival parade, and a number of debates and discussions, to which members of all political parties have been invited.
Former taoiseach Albert Reynolds will give a lecture and Government members Sile De Valera and Eamon O Cuiv will also take part in debates. A film festival which was formerly part of the main August festival will this year be held in September. Feile na Phobail also boasts its own community radio station which broadcasts for four weeks. In a community as political as West Belfast, the feile reflects that: "To be politically neutral in Northern Ireland is to be staid," says Catriona Ruane. "We don't believe in brushing things under the carpet. We believe politics is a part of life, alongside the festival celebrations. We're about social change, economic regeneration and also about reaching out to other festivals."