Theatre / Bristol
Theatre comes to the Bearpit
Rows of chairs faced a makeshift stage within a shipping container in the Bearpit, as theatre was hosted in the sunken roundabout for the first time.
The two free performances hosted at the new Bearpit Open Air Theatre on Wednesday attracted an audience of curious passers-by who were treated to a story about street sex workers.
Using verbatim quotes taken from interviews with street sex workers in Bristol, Things We Do Not Know explores how society views these women and how they can get help.
is needed now More than ever
Developed in collaboration between charity One25 and the Spotlights theatre group, the performance is hopefully the first of many in Bristol’s most unusual theatre space which will also double as an art gallery.
Things We Did Not Know cast and crew
“The essence of Stokes Croft is about knowing the possibility of voice,” said Chris Chalkley from the People’s Republic of Stokes Croft, who was instrumental in setting up the new theatre.
“To have created a community-based gallery and theatre in the Bearpit is about allowing voice to come from the bottom up.
“The fundamentals of what this is about is about taking back community space.”
Things We Do Not Know director Kate Wyver was feeling nervous soon before 3pm when the first performance was due to start, but her nerves soon disappeared once the actors got into their strides.
“I’m really excited for this play to be here in the heart of Bristol,” said the University of Bristol student. “Being outside as well means it has the soundscape of the city.
“It also feels important to talk about people in society who are not given enough recognition and not given enough support.”
The play begins and the voices of the women are listened to attentively by the audience, the first few people fortunate enough to watch theatre in the Bearpit.
Read more: One third of sex workers helped off streets
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