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Theatre Shows in Bristol

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Bristol's Theatre Scene

Bristol’s theatres: an overview

Bristol’s theatres and art galleries are as world-renowned as it’s underground culture (Banksy, Tricky et al). Think Bristol Hippodrome, Bristol Old Vic, The Tabacco Factory, Redgrave Theatre and the Department of Theatre at the University of Bristol, where the theatre journey starts for many young Bristolians. While Bristol’s theatres are all smaller than those of the capital and there’s no dedicated theatre district, you’re just as likely to see West End plays like the Book of Mormon and War Horse as smaller more experimental productions at one of the city’s dramatic festivals like Mayfest, Young Blood Theatre Festival and the Bristol Shakespeare Festival. Even clubs like Loko Club act as a sort of in-between for Bristol’s more immersive theatre productions that stem from circus-based theatrics of Circomedia.

Bristol’s Old Vic Theatre is nationally renowned for big-budget shows and for empowering new theatrical talent with Bristol Ferment. While the Old Vic and it’s companion theatre school cater for both experimental and traditional performances, the popularity of physical theatre elsewhere in the city continues to rise. Cicrcomedia’s school for circus performance and physical acting hosts shows from both its students and scratch nights put on by Ausform. The Tobacco Factory Theatre is South Bristol’s artistic hub with tickets for experimental theatre, comedy and workshops all available. Other theatres of note include The Alma Tavern in Clifton and the Wardrobe Theatre in Old Market (part of the Old Market Assembly).

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Our recent theatre recommendations

Sell out warning! Malmö’s sublime dream-poppers disturb the Microplex with a hauntological lounge-scape re-imagining of Whistle And I’ll Come To You - an eerie and oft-overlooked peak of BBC folk horror. Expect sinister graveyards, haunted whistles, stuttering drum machines and toy synthesizers all set to tantalise fans of: Stereolab, Broadcast, Pram, Badalamenti / Twin Peaks OST. Death And Vanilla at The Cube.

Sell out warning! A theatrical deep dive into the troubled life and interlocking mythos of the grand inquisitor of gothic horror. Providence lends H. P. Lovecraft’s often controversial human existence the appropriate dose of on-stage mysticism, with lashings of vaudeville comedy and plenty of beyond-the-grave guidance from Edgar Allan Poe. Providence — The Shadow Over Lovecraft at Loco Klub.

Amélie Ravalec’s experimental film Japanese Avant-Garde Pioneers traces visionary provocateurs dismantling artistic orthodoxy. It delves into Japan’s 1960s avant-garde crucible; a nexus of sociopolitical upheaval birthing insurgent aesthetics across blurred photography, shadowy theatre, and corporeal Butoh rites. Japanese Avant-Garde Pioneers at Arnolfini.

Desanctify Bedminster! As featured on the BBC podcast Gangster - take a haunted wander through South Bristol’s unglamorous underbelly. A two-hour descent into the grit of grave robbers and body snatchers, the sordid glow of hanging judges and man-eating lions, and the Brinks-Mat cache laundered through local banks. Blood and Butchery in Bedminster - Theatre Walk at Bedminster Walking Tour - Meet/Start: The Dark Horse BS3 4JA.

What our editors say

“In 100 Voices is not just a show — it’s an immersive journey into the climate crisis, a living exhibition that fuses theatre, art, sound, and community action. The space itself transforms: every wall becomes a canvas, every corner invites discovery. Scan QR codes to unlock performances filmed by actors around the world, hear stories from kitchens and forests, beaches and bedrooms — stories without borders, voices without limits.”
From: In 100 Voices - Theatre For The Climate Crisis

“The award-winning circus company Nikki & JD in collaboration with Lost Dog create an outdoor show that combines circus, dance, theatre and live music to re-enact the original horror story. The one about the monster, and the monster’s mother, and the dragon and the hero and the severed limbs.”
From: Fireside // Nikki & JD and Lost Dog

“From powerful monologues to fresh, fearless perspectives, this event is a celebration of stories rarely told and voices too often overlooked. These are characters that challenge, move, and surprise — brought to life by local performers in a night of raw, original theatre.”
From: Unheard Voices - A Theatre Night Of New Writing

“World-class storytellers Ben Haggarty, Emily Hennessey and Steph Brittain set high energy performances of wild myth and fairytale for grown-ups against stunning soundtracks by Raoul Neumann (Trans-Siberian March Band), Sheema Mukherjee (Transglobal Underground & The Imagined Village), and Rav Neiyyar (Bollywood Brass Band & Transglobal Underground). This is gig theatre gone feral.”
From: Strangers in the Night, by Pandvani108

“Amidst the profound social change and political turmoil of post-war Japan, a bold generation of avant-garde artists emerged in the 1960s, redefining the boundaries of art through experimental photography, graphic design, underground theatre, performance art and radical Butoh dance—forever transforming the global art landscape.”
From: Japanese Avant-Garde Pioneers