Prototype 2022

a festival of early ideas

Presented by Tobacco Factory Theatres in association with Bristol Old Vic, Trinity Centre and The Wardrobe Theatre, as part of the Connecting the Dots initiative.

Prototype brings you a varied programme of innovative and courageous new performances by South West artists. Experience the unfolding of the creative process, and connect with performers as they unleash their newest ideas.

There will be four or five short performances each night, each one lasting 5-20 minutes.

Prototype aims to spark inspiring conversations and connections. So please stay after the performances and discuss what you’ve seen at our friendly Feedback Cafe.

CLICK HERE FOR THE PROTOTYPE 2022 LINE UP

Standard tickets are £10 per night, and by attending you’ll support the creation of new work (each artist/company is offered a modest fee). If you need to spend a little less at the moment, you can attend for just £6.

Artist Members get a 20% discount when booking full price tickets for Prototype, and for most of our other shows. If you’re a South West-based professional artist, it’s free to become an Artist Member. Find out more here.

Other Connecting the Dots events at Tobacco Factory Theatres this March:

Free Play Sessions

Thursday mornings throughout March
9am-11am
Our theatre and bar spaces will be available for you to stretch, warm-up, play and connect. Sessions are informal and all attendees can feel free to facilitate or lead activities, or practice on your own – whatever feels best. Free tea and coffee will also be provided, and you are welcome to stay afterwards to work and chat in the bar.

BRISTOL OLD VIC

WORKSHOPS

Throughout March
Various dates/times
Come and upskill yourself in all the bits of creative life that don’t get taught in school. From finance, to how to write a really good email, to prioritising care and wellbeing in your work, join us in-person and online for a month of free workshops.

MEETUP WEEK

21 – 25 March
Over the past few years we’ve really missed sharing space together. So, for a week in March, we’ve booked out a room and persuaded some wonderful South West artists to host a mini-programme of discipline-specific meetups. Don’t worry, these aren’t horrible stand-around-and-network events. Each one will offer a tangible focus for you to get on with, so the Making Friends With Others is basically accidental!

TRINITY CENTRE

ON THE INSIDE

25 March
On the Inside is an explosive full-length piece told through striking dance theatre, created by Bristol based Untold Dance Theatre whose work focuses on mental health and current socio-political issues created via a gendered perspective.

THE FINAL FRONTIER FESTIVAL

5 & 6 March
Arts for art’s sake or arts for sake of society? Join local artists Tom Marshman, Michelle Curtis and Rider Shafique as they discuss the ways in which their work responds to and influences public discussion, and address the ways in which the arts are integral to protest movements. Part of Art of Resistance programme.

LIKE MERCURY

12 March
Through a queer lens, a dynamic trio of movement artists from Houston Dance Collective and world champion beatboxer and musician Bellatrix share stories, dismantle internalised beliefs, challenge binaries and collectively re-imagines a future that celebrates identities and centres community.

THE WARDROBE THEATRE

MOIST, MOIST, MOIST

FAMILY TREE

EN-GER-LAND

Kiota

A collective for POC creatives in Bristol

Prototype is part of a pilot initiative, Connecting the Dots, co-delivered by Bristol Old Vic, Tobacco Factory Theatres, Trinity Centre and The Wardrobe Theatre, and with input from many others. Connecting the Dots aims to explore how venues can work together to present and cross-promote shows, workshops, meet-ups, residencies and open forums for artists and audiences here in the South West.