25 things to do in Bristol this week, May 29-June 4 2023

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Monday-Thursday: The old man movie: Lactopalypse!, Watershed
Based on a popular Estonian web series, The Old Man Movie has been touted as one of the most outrageous, crowd-pleasing stop-motion comedies in years.

Monday: Arctic Monkeys, Ashton Gate Stadium
One of the defining groups of British angst, if you’ve heard of music and you’ve been alive for the past 20 years, you’ll know the Arctic Monkeys. This Monday, they kick off the UK & Ireland leg of their 2023 tour at South Bristol’s football stadium.

 

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This half term: Dinosaur Valley Live, Avon Valley Adventure and Wildlife park
Get ready to stomp and ROAR with excitement while you explore the largest collection of animatronic dinosaurs in the South West, including a 15m T-Rex. Follow self-guided trails, complete a quest, meet interactive dinosaurs and enjoy immersive and theatrical shows throughout the day. It’s sure to be a prehistoric extravaganza!

Avon Valley raptor – photo: Avon Valley Wildlife Park

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Now-July 23: Street Life, RWA
Presenting Street Life, a multidisciplinary exhibition of work themed around urban landscapes, curated by our very own Academicians Malcolm Ashman RWA, and Stephen Jacobson RWA. 20 RWA Academicians were invited to take part in the show, using their practices to explore the experience of urban living through architecture, sculpture, printmaking, and painting.

Street Life at RWA – photo: RWA

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Monday-Friday: Sabotage by No Fit State Circus, Wilson St Big Top
SABOTAGE is another full-on, boisterous, and audaciously fierce performance with the NoFit State signature style. It brings a darker, grittier, and more subversive edge to NoFit State’s trademark large scale contemporary circus spectacular. With incredible acts, original music, new apparatus and a more theatrical feel, SABOTAGE challenges the status quo. Evening and matinee performances available.

Sabotage by No Fit State Circus – photo: No Fit State Circus

Tuesday: Amy Matthews: I feel like I’m made of spiders, The Room Above
Whilst comedian Amy Matthews works out her next hour, she takes it on the road around the country to test it out on willing subjects. This leg of her tour takes her to the comedy club located above The White Bear on St Michael’s Hill for a never before heard hour.

 

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Find Shaun the Sheep at Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm!
The Hide & Sheep AR trail is a fun filled activity for the whole family! Simply download the free app and find the 11 Shaun the Sheep markers around the Zoo. Included free with Noah’s Ark Zoo admission until 3rd September.

Noah’s Ark x Aardman AR experience – photo: Noah’s Ark

Wednesday: Alice Boyd, St George’s Bristol
Following on from her artist residency at The Eden Project, sound artist/composer Alice Boyd brings a mixture of field recordings, textural sounds and emotive compositions to the beautiful St Georges, all with one powerful message about the need to protect our environment.

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Thursday-June 15: Medusa Deluxe, Watershed
The audaciously original debut from writer-director Thomas Hardiman, Medusa Deluxe is a bold, camp and unique take on the murder mystery. The Thu 9 June 18:00 preview screening features an introduction and post-film Q&A with director Thomas Hardiman.

Medusa Deluxe – photo: Watershed

Thursday: Mexican street food cookery workshop, Little Kitchen Cookery School
The friendly team at the Totterdown cookery school are hosting a class, teaching you how to master the basics of three classic Mexican dishes – pulled chicken tacos, cheesy refried bean quesadillas and fresh salsa.

Little Kitchen Cookery School – photo: Little Kitchen Cookery School

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Thursday-Sunday: The Addams Family, Redgrave Theatre
BAOS Youth presents The Addams Family, a comical feast that embraces the wackiness in every family. An original story that is every father’s nightmare. Everything changes on a fateful night when “The Family” host a dinner for Wednesday’s “normal” boyfriend and his parents.

The Addams Family, Redgrave Theatre – photo: Redgrave Theatre

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This half term: Ten ways to play, We The Curious
Looking for some free fun this May half term? Find We The Curious out on Millennium Square and create your own playground!

Half term at We The Curious – photo: We The Curious

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Thursday: Fantastic Negrito, The Fleece
Part love story, part history lesson, Fantastic Negrito’s extraordinary new album, White Jesus Black Problems, is an exhilarating ode to the power of family and the enduring resilience of our shared humanity. Inspired by the illegal, interracial romance of his seventh generation grandparents—a white indentured servant and an enslaved Black man—in 1750s Virginia, the collection is bold and thought provoking, grappling with racism, capitalism, and the very meaning of freedom itself, all without ever losing sight of the desire and determination at the heart of the tale. Don’t miss this opportunity to catch the four-time Grammy winning artist as he performs at The Fleece next week.

Friday: Pottery throwing for beginners for two, Studio 8
If you’ve always wanted to give pottery throwing a try, the Montpelier based pottery studio invites couples, duos and friends down to get messy and create some works of your own. You’ll be able to take your masterpieces home, too, after they’ve been fired and finished a couple of weeks later.

Pottery throwing at Studio 8 – photo: Yuup

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Opens Saturday: Windmill Hill Market, Windmill Hill City Farm
Discover this new monthly market in the beautiful setting of Windmill Hill City Farm.  Find handmade ceramics, clothing, accessories, jewellery and prints – and in ‘Thrift Avenue’, vintage & retro clothes, records and homeware.  Plus street food stalls, brewery tap room, café, kids crafts and live music in the new theatre space.

Windmill Hill Market – photo: Windmill Hill Market

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Saturday: Scribble and Sketch, RWA
Join artist Abigail Reed this Saturday, 3 June, for Scribble and Sketch at RWA. These sessions are designed for children and grown-ups to take part together – everyone is welcome. Due to the popularity of sessions at RWA, we have split this regular workshop into two timeslots to ensure we can provide the most enjoyable experience for all families. £3.75 per person, booking required.

Scribble and Sketch – photo: RWA

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Saturday: Andy Shauf, Trinity Centre
Andy Shauf is driving us out to a wild and dangerous place. Norm, his most recent album, is a recognizable Shauf production, but with a flowing landscape of suppressed grooves propelling the songs toward uncertain destinations. With previous albums including The Party and The Neon Skyline receiving critical acclaim, Shauf has left the realm of things he’s known on his third album, pivoting away from the semi-autobiographical, and pushing himself to grow as a songwriter in an entirely different way as he tackles love and loss on a more panoramic, extreme scale. Catch the Polaris Music Prize-nominated songwriter at Trinity, with support coming from Marina Allen.

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Saturday: Stand up for the weekend with THOMAS GREEN and GUESTS, Hen & Chicken Studio
Like most things in Australia, international headliner Thomas Green is out to kill you… with comedy!​

He attacks every stage with skill, precision and a level of energy that engages and commands the entire room. His crowd work is revered, likability off the charts and he has the innate ability to get any audience instantly on side with his charismatic Aussie best mate persona.

Green is one of those rare comics who, when you watch them for the first time, you know you’re watching a true genius at work. He has the elasticity of Jim Carrey; the character range of Robin Williams; the absurdity of Eddie Izzard and the energy of Lee Evans with the addition of his own unique brand of engaging storytelling; he really is the full package.

Stand up for the weekend with Thomas Green – photo: The Comedy Box

Saturday: no_one: Amor Satyr & Siu Mata (3hr Set), The Island
Furious, fast tribal rhythms from the duo truly spearheading the movement of speed dembow – for lovers of fast pumping dance music who also like a bit of a forward thinking, left field edge to their tunes, there’s really nowhere else you need to spend your Saturday night.

Sunday: Cinema In The Arcade: Ponyo, Four Quarters
A free entry screening of a Studio Ghibli classic at the Park Street arcade. If you haven’t yet seen Ponyo, but are a fan of other Ghibli works, or if you’re completely new to the subgenre but are a fan of heartwarming, cuddly immersive worlds, this is the perfect Sunday.

And coming soon…

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June 1: Emma, Redgrave Theatre
Join the critically-acclaimed Pantaloons for a righteous Regency rom-com! Meet misguided matchmaker Emma as she tries to play Cupid in this hilarious yet faithful new adaptation of Jane Austen’s satirical story.

Emma at Redgrave Theatre – photo: Redgrave Theatre

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June 7: Giggles for a good cause, The Station
A special comedy night with newcomers to the region’s finest. Fantastic comedians including Robin Morgan and host Morgan Rees. Held in central Bristol’s 1930s fire station for Creative Youth Network.

Giggles for a good cause at The Station – photo: Giggles for a good cause

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June 9-18: Festival of Nature, Millennium Square
Join the celebration for Festival of Nature’s 20th anniversary with its unmissable programme of vibrant city-centre events, family nature parties, wildlife workshops, walks and talks, film screenings, and spectacular performances across 10 days. Don’t miss out on the festival’s feature Bristol event at Millennium Square and Anchor Square 17th & 18th June – two days of free nature activities, stalls, food and drink, and special guest talks.

Festival of nature – photo: Natural History Consortium

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June 10-18: Clifton International Festival of Music, various locations
Bristol’s very own classical music festival is back with a special 10th anniversary edition. The lineup includes favourite artists The Tallis Scholars, and iconic masterpieces including Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, alongside performances from some of the country’s brightest classical rising stars.

Clifton International Festival of Music – photo: Clifton International Festival of Music

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Opening July: Beyond Submergence, Propyard
Wondering what a 20,000sq. ft. immersive experience looks like? Step into Beyond Submergence this summer, a world-first exhibition of light & sound by Squidsoup, brought to Bristol by the team behind Four Tet’s immersive live performances dubbed ‘the best live show in the world’ by Mixmag. Take part in a once-in-a-lifetime experience, discover the host of events taking place in the exhibition space and find out how to book below.

Beyond Submergence, Propyard

Main Photo: Ashton Gate Stadium

Read next:

• Shock at omission of dance stage from Harbour Festival
• The Bristol indie bookshop events to enhance your summer reading
• Seska brings award-winning family comedy magic to The Wardrobe Theatre

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