The Lyric Theatre Belfast has become the first theatre in Ireland to implement the immersive L-ISA sound technology by L-Acoustics in a live theatrical production, presenting the system during the world premiere run of Denouement.
The new drama, written by John Morton and produced in-house at the Lyric, invites audiences to immerse themselves in a tense and unraveling end-of-the-world narrative — a story enhanced by immersive sound that places listeners inside every fearful whisper and urgent plea on stage.
The project was completed in collaboration with Forfey, who designed, supplied and installed the L-ISA configuration, working alongside L-Acoustics Application Engineer Ollie Crump and Lyric Senior Production Technician Ian Vennard.
The installation marks a significant step in the venue’s long-term audio strategy and its ambition to lead new creative and technical standards in theatre production across Northern Ireland and beyond.
Striving for creative and technical excellence is fundamental to everything we do. From the first conversations with Ian and the Lyric team, it was clear we shared that vision. Our role was to design and deliver a system that supported the theatre’s creative ambition and demonstrated how spatial audio can intensify emotional storytelling and place audiences within the narrative alongside the performers, says Matt Minford, Managing Director at Forfey.
Original theatre writing meets immersive audio technology
Ahead of its 75th anniversary in 2026, the Lyric Theatre stands as Northern Ireland’s only full-time producing theatre, creating a minimum of six original productions annually. New writing remains central to its mission, and Denouement emerged from the theatre’s own New Playwrights Programme. For the team, pairing a world premiere with cutting-edge sound design felt like a natural evolution.
“Our focus has always been to champion new writing and elevate new voices”, explains Adam Steele, Marketing Manager at Lyric Theatre Belfast. “Audiences increasingly expect a premium theatrical experience, and immersive technology now plays a key role in storytelling. Denouement felt like the perfect moment to explore that creative potential”.
The production’s staging — claustrophobic, close to the audience and emotionally intense — aligned perfectly with immersive audio’s ability to heighten tension and bring performers into the same psychological space as the audience.
From traditional reinforcement to L-ISA immersive audio
Although the Lyric had been exploring options for upgrading its sound system, its collaboration with L-Acoustics accelerated last summer, when the theatre hosted L-ISA training sessions for technical professionals from across the region. The event coincided with the early planning stages for Denouement, sparking the idea of using immersive audio technology for the production.
We had been assessing how to take our next steps in sound reinforcement, whether that meant a refreshed left-right system or a more advanced LCR approach. But when we saw the potential of L-ISA and how well it complements the auditorium, it became clear this technology would help place us at the forefront of theatre sound, notes Vennard.
The venue frequently hires L-Acoustics systems for larger productions and musicals, making L-ISA a future-aligned choice built on an already established sonic foundation. With a capacity of 389 seats and a single rake, the main house offers ideal physical conditions for spatial audio, with no structural obstructions.
Designing the L-ISA configuration: A Series loudspeakers and spatial precision
“We’ve worked with L-Acoustics for years and know the power of these systems”, continues Minford. “For Denouement, we collaborated with L-Acoustics and the Lyric to fine-tune the room design, using Soundvision to model coverage and make the most of the theatre’s ideal architecture”.
The final design focuses on a Scene configuration using A Series loudspeakers. Three central arrays — one A15 Focus flanked by two A15 Wide — form the main image. At the outer edges, two arrays with one A10 Focus and two A10 Wide ensure even, precise coverage across the seating rake.
To further extend the soundscape beyond the main frontal image, one X12 loudspeaker per side was positioned as a Scene extension, widening the perceived sound field and reinforcing lateral imaging. Surround and overhead immersion is delivered by ten X8 loudspeakers installed discreetly around and above the auditorium, providing enveloping spatial textures and height information, enabling subtle atmospheric movement as well as pinpoint localisation when required.
The system runs on a Milan-AVB network, using a P1 processor for setup and signal routing, supported by LS10 switches. LA4X and LA12X amplified controllers provide power and processing, giving the creative team a flexible object-based mixing environment capable of supporting both narrative clarity and dramatic sound design.
Audience response: clarity, immersion and emotional impact
The system has operated flawlessly throughout the four-week run, supporting seven performances each week. Most importantly, audience feedback has been immediate and enthusiastic — a rare but powerful indicator in theatre sound.
Sound often goes unnoticed when it’s working well. But audiences have been talking about how immersive the experience feels, and how clear and enveloping the sound is. This is particularly meaningful given that many of our regular attendees are older; it shows that clarity and natural imaging truly make a difference, says Steele.
With cinematic and at-home streaming experiences shaping audience expectations, immersive theatre sound has become increasingly important for maintaining engagement.
“We’re seeing audiences arrive expecting the best”, adds Adam. “This system allows us to meet — and exceed — those expectations”.
An immersive audio-driven future
“This project has been a fantastic example of collaboration”, adds Minford. “It demonstrates our shared commitment to advancing standards of creative and technical excellence in Northern Ireland”.
“The goal is to lead the industry”, says Vennard. “Immersive audio is shaping the future of theatre, and this project gives us a head start both creatively and technically”.
Image descriptions:
- LA_Lyric_Théatre_1 – L-Acoustics partners with Forfey to install the first theatrical L-ISA deployment in Ireland
- LA_Lyric_Théatre_2 – The L-Acoustics sound system installation marks a significant step in the Lyric Theatre’s long-term audio strategy and its ambition to pioneer new creative and technical standards
- LA_Lyric_Théatre_3 – The final design centres on a focused Scene configuration using L-Acoustics A Series loudspeakers
- LA_Lyric_Théatre_4 – The LA4X and LA12X amplified controllers provide power and processing, offering the creative team a flexible object-based mixing environment
- LA_Lyric_Théatre_5 – Audiences increasingly expect a premium theatrical experience, and L-Acoustics L-ISA immersive technology now plays a key role in storytelling
