Ahead of this week’s double bill of critically acclaimed Bristol based theatre makers, Eurohouse performers Nasi Voutsas and Bertrand Lesca share 5 Things You Need to Know About Bristol’s Independent Theatre Scene.
1. It’s diverse
Bristol’s independent theatre scene is diverse. Ranging from experimental work in a vaulted cave underneath Temple Meads station, to a happy-go-lucky musicals on the Bristol Old Vic prestigious main stage: it really has all kinds of theatre to fit everyone’s tastes. Everyone creates different work but respects each other.
2. People want to take risks
Tobacco Factory Theatres, Bristol Ferment, The Wardrobe Theatre, Mayfest, Submerge, In Between Time… The amount of venues, organisations and festivals supporting new work in one place is astonishing. Taking risks is the best way of preserving the vitality of Bristol’s independent theatre scene and there are so many organisations who are willing to take them.
3. There is a high percentage of vegetarians!
We’ve toured the UK a lot, and it feels like Bristol has the highest concentration of vegetarian and vegans of any other theatre scene in the country! Does this affect the quality of the theatre being made? Is “no meat” the way forward for theatre makers the world over? We’re definitely for it.
4. There’s less pressure
A lot of theatre makers choose Bristol in order to try and develop their own work because it’s away from the commercial pressures of London. Bristol gives you time, space and support to try things out.
5. There’s belief
Everyone is really up for meeting and learning from each other, and that cross-pollination creates a great belief in what artists do. In different ways this is what places/groups like the Brunswick Club and Interval promote: artists coming together and making things happen collectively. Initiatives like those give us hope that people aren’t tired of theatre just yet.
Nasi Voutsas and Bertrand Lesca perform in Eurohouse from Wed 14 – Sat 17 June at Tobacco Factory Theatres, in a double bill with Infinity Pool by Bea Roberts. Find out more by clicking the links above.
Posted on 13 June 2017
