Theatre / Bristol old vic
Bristol Old Vic kicks off a jam-packed 2022 summer season
With a string of back to back, critically lauded homegrown shows in Dr Semmelweis, Wonder Boy and The Meaning of Zong, Bristol Old Vic has undoubtedly had a fantastic start to 2022.
And following the recent news that Tom Morris is stepping down as artistic director after 12 years at the helm, the appointment of his successor is expected in early June.
It’s a period of transition for the theatre that has emerged from the pandemic with new ways of programming work, and is now dedicated to making all its shows accessible to audiences in real life, and digitally, wherever they are in the world.
is needed now More than ever
In terms of what’s on stage, there is a bumper programme of shows and events for audiences in the upcoming months. Bristol 24/7 takes a look at some of the highlights:
Mayfest – May 13-28
Mayfest has opened at Bristol Old Vic with the start of Brook Tate’s Birthmarked run (May 13-23) followed by the official festival opening party. The theatre is set to present Mayfest shows A Crash Course in Cloudspotting (May 18-28) and as british as a watermelon (May 23).
Wonder Boy: on demand – May 23-29
Bringing Bristol playwright Ross Willis together with Olivier award-winning director Sally Cookson proved to be a masterstroke, as Wonder Boy wowed audiences at Bristol Old Vic in March. Now, the show is being made available to view digitally, for a limited period.
Little Wimmin – June 7-8
Figs in Wigs bring their live art, feminist adaptation of the much-loved Louisa May Alcott novel Little Women to Bristol Old Vic audiences for two nights this June. Featuring an eclectic mix of music, theatre, comedy, dance and irreverance, the five-strong cast will transform a familiar narrative into something you have never seen before.
Little Wimmin Figs in Wigs – photo: Rosie Collins
Rush: A Joyous Jamaican Journey – June 10-11
A whirling dervish of a show that covers Jamaican history, slavery and the racism that the Windrush Generation were met with upon reaching Britain, Rush is soundtracked by an extraordinary and uplifting collection of songs, from Toots & The Maytals to Jimmy Cliff, Desmond Dekker to Prince Buster, Millie Small and Bob Marley & The Wailers.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=223179872066580
Bristol Old Vic Theatre School: Graduate Season – June 18-July 2
Following the success of the recent Bristol Old Vic Theatre School Director’s Festival, which ran at The Wardrobe Theatre, BOVTS: Graduate Season features the 2022 cohort of graduating acting and techinal students in a mix of classical and contemporary work. Catastrophe Bay is a gothic musical soundtracked by European folk music; Loam is a ‘utopian eco-comedy’, and Henry VI: Days of Rebellion is a modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s Henry VI part 1, 2 and 3.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CdLWP95uhDv/
Treasure Island – July 19-30
Kicking off the start of the school summer holidays, Devon-based multi award-winning physical comedy company Le Navet Bete bring their take on Treasure Island to Bristol Old Vic, promising a welcome dose of swashbuckling entertainment the whole family can enjoy.
For complete theatre listings and tickets to all Bristol Old Vic shows, visit www.bristololdvic.org.uk.
Main photo: Rosie Collins
Read more: Review: Wonder Boy, Bristol Old Vic – ‘A triumph’
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