Lisa McGee Explores Explosive New Territory with 'How to Get to Heaven from Belfast' After 'Derry Girls' Success

United Kingdom - Ekhbary News Agency

Lisa McGee Explores Explosive New Territory with 'How to Get to Heaven from Belfast' After 'Derry Girls' Success

Lisa McGee, the creative force behind the universally beloved comedy series 'Derry Girls,' is once again captivating audiences with her distinctive voice and sharp wit. Her latest venture, the eight-part mystery-comedy 'How to Get to Heaven from Belfast,' marks a significant departure from the familiar streets of Derry, venturing into the vibrant, yet often complex, landscape of Belfast. This new series, while distinct in its narrative and tone, carries McGee's signature exploration of female relationships, identity, and the humorous, sometimes poignant, truths of growing up and growing older.

'How to Get to Heaven from Belfast' centers on three lifelong friends—Saoirse (Roisin Gallagher), Robyn (Sinéad Keenan), and Dara (Caoilfhionn Dunne)—whose bonds, forged in their teenage years at the aptly named Our Lady of the Sorrows school, are tested when they are drawn into a perplexing mystery following the death of their childhood friend, Greta. The series is described as a thrilling concoction, blending elements of a whodunit reminiscent of 'Knives Out,' with inspirations drawn from classic detective shows like 'Columbo' and the playful sleuthing of 'Scooby-Doo.' Yet, at its core, much like 'Derry Girls,' it remains a profound examination of friendship, particularly the enduring and often complicated nature of female friendships that span decades.

McGee elaborates on the intricate dynamics of long-term friendships, noting, "The problem with a group of friends that have known each other since they were kids, is that you know everything." She touches upon the inherent tension that arises when past selves clash with present identities. "Sometimes you don’t want that thing from your past being brought up again. Or you don’t want to talk about that story because it doesn’t represent you as you see yourself now. So it can get quite spiky. You’re living this agreed lie." This nuanced perspective on shared histories and the selective curation of memory adds a layer of relatable depth to the narrative, promising both laughter and introspection.

Interestingly, 'How to Get to Heaven from Belfast' is not an entirely new concept for McGee. The genesis of the series lies in a play she wrote decades ago during her time at Queen's University in Belfast. The title itself was inspired by flyers she received during freshers' week. "I hadn’t done anything yet, and it wasn’t very good," she humorously recalls of the original work. However, the enduring success and the subsequent reunions with her 'Derry Girls' school friends provided the impetus to revisit and reimagine this earlier creation. "It was seeing those old pals again that made her go back to the play she’d written 20 years prior," the article notes, highlighting how personal connections can reignite creative sparks.

The series employs a non-linear narrative structure, a technique also seen in shows like 'Yellowjackets,' skillfully weaving between the adult lives of the protagonists and their teenage selves. These flashbacks are imbued with an air of mystery, featuring evocative imagery such as satanic symbols and burning sheds, hinting at darker undercurrents. The narrative promises moments of high-octane drama, with comparisons drawn to the explosive sequences in 'The White Lotus,' albeit set against a distinctly Northern Irish backdrop, complete with a yacht and a car chase that culminate in fiery destruction.

Before embarking on their amateur sleuthing adventure to unravel Greta's death, the main characters find themselves at significant crossroads in their adult lives. Saoirse, a TV writer in London, is engaged to someone she doesn't truly love. Robyn, a seemingly glamorous mother of four, is in a similarly unfulfilling marriage. Dara is living at home, navigating a difficult breakup and caring for an overbearing mother. Greta's death acts as a catalyst, disrupting their mundane routines and propelling them into the extraordinary, forcing them to confront not only the mystery surrounding their friend but also the unspoken secrets of their own past.

The narrative structure is a 'mystery within a mystery.' As Saoirse, Robyn, and Dara attempt to uncover the truth behind Greta's demise, they are simultaneously forced to confront a dark, shared secret from their teenage years—a secret they have long suppressed. The presence of matching tribal tattoos, including one on Greta, serves as a visual reminder of this buried history. Their insistence that they "didn’t do anything wrong" is met with audience skepticism, as the series tantalizes with hints about the nature of their past transgression, leaving viewers to question whether the women are truly innocent or deceiving themselves and others.

McGee's distinctive approach to storytelling shines through in the show's blend of the absurd and the profound. The characters' investigation is characterized by chaotic mishaps and unexpected encounters, mirroring the spirit of 'Scooby-Doo.' They find themselves in comical yet scandalous situations, such as storming the wrong funeral in Disney princess masks. The narrative also injects surreal elements, like taking refuge from a storm in an eccentric innkeeper's attic or staging a wake for a living mother to extract information. The 'craic,' a quintessential Irish term for fun and gossip, is indeed 'deadly' in this context, with fantastical plot points like a boy raised by chickens or a Kenny Rogers impersonator meeting a bizarre end.

Reflecting on her creative journey, McGee expresses a different kind of pressure with this new project compared to 'Derry Girls.' "I really, really want people to like it, but I don’t feel that pressure I had [with Derry Girls], certainly when the third series was coming out. I felt like such a huge responsibility for that to land in a way that everyone at home was happy with." Now, she feels a greater freedom: "Now I feel like I’m just telling a story and it happens to be set in Northern Ireland. I just hope people enjoy the ride. I hope they like the friendship group. I hope they laugh."

McGee's personal experiences, including a significant period living in London before returning to Belfast, have undoubtedly shaped her perspective on identity and belonging. Her frustration with the perceived superficiality of London life and the subsequent feeling of not quite fitting in upon her return to Northern Ireland are echoed in Saoirse's character. The challenges of navigating cultural differences and the subtle, and sometimes not-so-subtle, othering experienced by Irish individuals in England are poignantly illustrated through Saoirse's interactions, where her directness is misattributed as a cultural failing. McGee herself notes the difficulty of reconciling professional success in one place with a sense of home in another, observing, "You don’t quite know where you fit."

While 'How to Get to Heaven from Belfast' stands on its own, echoes of 'Derry Girls' are discernible in the character dynamics. McGee identifies parallels between Dara and Orla, and Robyn and Michelle, noting that Robyn is based on the same real-life friend who inspired Michelle. However, the new series introduces a sharper, more mature edge to these friendships, reflecting the complexities of adult relationships. "It’s the same group of girls," McGee states, "only we’ve grown up now and we still don’t know what we’re doing!"

Ultimately, 'How to Get to Heaven from Belfast' delves into universal truths about life—the cyclical nature of fashion, the intricate web of friendship, the rituals surrounding loss, and the often-unpredictable path of romantic relationships. Yet, the series retains a quintessentially Northern Irish spirit, characterized by a dark comedic odyssey through the often-bleak yet beautiful landscapes of the region. "When you think about the history of Northern Ireland, the people and the landscape, there’s something so charming and beautiful, but it can turn really quickly," McGee observes, encapsulating the unique blend of resilience, humor, and underlying tension that defines the region and now, her captivating new show.

Ekhbary News Agency