Unsurprisingly the best place to see live circus performances in Bristol as at the city’s own, physical theatre school - Circomedia. Fans of more experimental theatre performances should check out Ausform and Bristol’s May Fest theatre festival.
Buy tickets for circus & physical theatre events in Bristol
Superbad for the girls and gays! 2019’s Booksmart follows two co-dependent nerds whose end-of-high-school blowout / hormonal exorcism spirals into serious suburban chaos – it’s the gross-out cringe-comedy we deserve, beamed to Cafe Kino by the trans healthcare fundraising angels at Project The Dolls.
Booksmart 15 7.30pm at Cafe Kino.
The concert film to end all concert films! Before there was Woodstock, there was 68’s Monterey Pop, immortalised in D. A. Pennebaker's euphoric countercultural snapshot. Some of the best live performances in history, not to mention Mama Cass’ rapturous gawping while Janis Joplin howls the sky down, the multiple counts of guitar destruction/fornication/arson, the priceless cutaways to a sea of blissed-out hippies…
HIPPY TRIPPY SUMMER PRESENTS: MONTEREY POP at The Cube.
Sell out warning! Our fave Romanian twin queer allies at Trinity? Are we dreaming? It’s a cheeky holiday!! The noughties pop icons headline this full-blown Pride takeover – alongside live cabaret from trailblazing drag king Prix Chiyo, serpentine sorceress Mama Mamba, and bearlesque diva Deeva D + Liam Parsons bringing hi-nrg club-pop euphoria on the decks. The Queer As F*ck crew really pulling out all the stops here!
QUEER AS F*CK: Pride Afterparty at The Trinity Centre.
Sell out warning! Back for a blockbuster fourth year running: boundary-defying drag-theatre from queer performance art collective House of Boussé! Part visceral reclamation narrative against hateful media rhetoric, part self-proclaimed “trannified version of The Magic School Bus”, Trans/Form is an embodied journey into the beauty and power of trans+ experiences.
TRANS/FORM at Strange Brew.
What our editors say
“Sexquisite Events are an award winning performing arts company platforming the hottest sex worker artists, creating fierce, political and multi-disciplinary work. Come along to our bad bitch cabaret to celebrate how multi-talented + powerful sex workers are. You can expect: dance, burlesque, spoken word, song, comedy, pole + more! By supporting Sexquisite you are enabling us to create paid creative opportunities for those who work in the sex industry. Alongside this you are supporting us in our mission to destigmatise sex work through performance.”
From: Sexquisite July
“Welcome to an enchanting, whimsical night of a variety Cabaret. Do you fancy a night of Bohemian antics, clowns being silly, and stand-up comedians giving you big belly laughs? We also have experimental theatre, music, and a Twoprov Improv duo for you all to enjoy. All under one roof, there’s no better way to spend a Saturday evening than getting lost in the world of cabaret at the Old Market Assembly.”
From: Twilight Cabbret
“Step into the Big Top for NoFit State's 40th‑anniversary celebration CARNATION, a human, sensual rollercoaster of circus, live music, and cinematic spectacle. Boisterous, audacious, and charged with feeling, this large‑scale immersive show celebrates hope in rebellion, where breathtaking performance, bold live sound, and striking imagery collide as ordinary people do extraordinary things. Dates: 12 – 28 June Location: NoFit State Big Top Tent, Wilson Street, St Pauls, Bristol BS2 9HH Pricing: Standard £26 | Family tickets from £72 Over 65 | Unwaged | Student | Under 16 £18 Book now: www.booknow.NoFitState/Carnation Tickets are limited.”
From: CARNATION in Bristol: 12 - 28 June
“The original, immersive, ‘piano bar musical’ making its UK DEBUT at Hen & Chicken, Bristol, over two special nights! Adv tickets £20 plus small booking fee at henandchicken.com Tickets on the door £24 cash only. Hot on the heels of a sold-out opening run, Jerseyman songwriter & piano-vocalist, Ant Noel, brings his swingin’ new production Midnight Joanna to the mainland. Featuring a 14-strong company of professional musicians & actors, Midnight Joanna is a thrilling night of rollicking rock 'n' roll, jivin' jazz, blistering blues & colourful cabaret. Come & soak up the atmosphere as we bring to life the neon characters of our late-night piano bar!”
From: Midnight Joanna: The Piano Bar Musical
“Our aim is to promote and cultivate Bristol's cabaret and performance art scene. It was born out of a need to address the lack of performance space available in Bristol for both complete beginners and more experienced performers that want to experiment with new material.”
From: SCRiTCH - Open Mic Cabaret