All the World’s a Stage: A Community Performance of The Winter’s Tale

Last week, we marked the end of a hugely successful five-week run of The Winter’s Tale at Tobacco Factory Theatres with a special Community Performance. This event was a fitting finale, celebrating the very heart of why we exist: our community.

For every in-house production we create, we welcome groups from across South Bristol who do vital work in our city, from homeless shelters to refugee centres, mental health charities, and community choirs to name a few. Our Community Performances are one of the highlights of the year—providing an opportunity for people who may not otherwise experience live theatre to share in the magic of live performance.

Over 20 charities and community groups joined us for community performance of The Winter’s Tale, an initiative made possible thanks to the generous support of Clifton College, whose sponsorship of the production ensured that our theatre remains a welcoming place for all.

Dr Tim Greene, Head of Clifton College, said:

“We were delighted to sponsor Tobacco Factory Theatres’ production of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale. It was a marvellous production, and we are thrilled to contribute to this important part of Bristol’s vibrant creative ecology. TFT’s initiative to make theatre more accessible to more people is core to our beliefs of the transformative benefits of performing arts.”

Tobacco Factory Theatres are committed to creating work with and for our local community – our in-house productions are cast with professional actors from within a 25-mile radius of Bristol, reinforcing our dedication to supporting local talent while reflecting the communities we serve.

Heidi Vaughan, Artistic Director & CEO at TFT, said:

“Community is at the heart of everything we do at Tobacco Factory Theatres. Our commitment to making theatre accessible is not just about offering free tickets – it’s about ensuring our work resonates with our audiences, both on and off the stage. The support of partners like Clifton College, and our wider TFT Business Club, is essential and invaluable, as it allows us to share the power of theatre with those who might not otherwise have the opportunity attend.”

We were also delighted to be joined at this special Community Performance by Chris Bryant, Minister for Creative Industries, Arts and Tourism, who saw first-hand how theatres like ours are going the extra mile to engage all corners of our community.

The success of The Winter’s Tale has been a resounding testament to the appetite for in-house produced Shakespeare at Tobacco Factory Theatres, marking the first such production in over six years. Across the run, 6,496 people joined us to experience this extraordinary tale of jealousy, redemption, and hope. The production received unanimous acclaim from audiences and critics alike, with StageTalk Magazine declaring, “this show was of a quality to match anything I have seen of late at Stratford.”

A triumphant return for Shakespeare at TFT, watch this space for some exciting announcements soon.