Tobacco Factory Theatres Announce Lineup for May-Dec 19

Tobacco Factory Theatres is proud to announce its programme for May - Dec 2019, which features a diverse range of in-house productions and some of the best touring work around, all curated especially for communities in Bristol. With a renewed mission and vision, Tobacco Factory Theatres aims to provide a welcoming home for audiences to experience incredible theatre and opportunities to learn and exchange ideas.

At the heart of Tobacco Factory Theatres's new vision is a commitment to nurturing talent, providing life-changing opportunities and taking people on creative adventures with accessible theatre for all. New for this season are £10 tickets for 16 - 26 year olds, which are available on most shows in the new season. Tickets starting from £12 are available for everyone from the point of on sale throughout the programme and Multibuy tickets allow audiences to see more shows across both the Factory and Spielman Theatres and be rewarded with discounts. Artists and Teachers also receive discounts on tickets to shows through the free-to-join Artist and Teacher Membership schemes.

The May - Dec 19 season will be on general sale from Tue 21 May. For more information read on. You can also view the brochure online or download it.

FULL MAY - DEC 19 SEASON

A packed summer programme includes some fun and truly magical work for families. Card Ninja! (Sun 02 June) contains dazzling, Ninja standard card-trickery and The Amazing Bubble Man will astound families once again with spellbinding bubble tricks on Sat 08 June. Dragonbird Theatre begin another season of theatre performances for the very young from June and Muckers, from award-wining theatre maker Caroline Horton, completes the family line-up on Sat 15 June with a show about standing proud and being true to ourselves.

New writing is also in the spotlight this summer. A rehearsed sing through of songs from Milky Peaks, the new musical from Seiriol Davies, which takes its inspiration from Under Milk Wood and Twin Peaks, takes place on Fri 31 May. Then, for the first time ever, Incoming Festival comes to Bristol from Wed 26 - Sun 30 June with a programme celebrating the best emerging theatre companies. Also presented at HOME in Manchester and New Diorama in London, a different double bill of shows each night will showcase some of the most outstanding and exciting new work around.

In a talk presented as part of Bristol Food Connections, acclaimed horticulturalist Charles Dowding will explain his No Dig gardening method on Wed 12 June. Internationally acclaimed physical theatre company Out of Balanz will return to Bristol on Thu 13 - Sat 15 June with Next Door, which examines the feeling of community and what it is that really connects us. And, hand-picked by our team of Young Producers, Sweet Like Chocolate Boy (Wed 03 - Sat 06 July) is a two time Offie-nominated show that critiques Black British Protest in the broiling estates of London. Before June is out, the students of Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, and stars of the future, make a welcome return with two shows this year - Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (Tue 18 June) and Bertolt Brecht's The Caucasian Chalk Circle (Tue 25 - Sat 29 June).

A whole host of comedy in various forms will provide light relief in July, whatever the weather brings. The Wardrobe Theatre's ultimate mother-loving anti-comedy, Oedipuss In Boots, plays for two weeks in the Factory Theatre (Tue 02 - Sun 14 July). Fans of improvised theatre will welcome consummate professionals The Comedy Store Players to Bristol on Fri 19 July and Chuckle Busters build up to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe on Wed 10 - Sat 13 July with four nights of shows from some of the UK's finest comedy talent. Plus, Robin Boon Dale brings back What Does Stuff Do? on Tue 16 - Sat 20 July, by turns an absurd and profound meditation on the relationships between people and things.

In August, Tobacco Factory Theatres is delighted to co-present an immersive promenade performance of Moby Dick on board Brunel's SS Great Britain (Sun 18 - Mon 26 August). Masters of site-specific theatre Darkstuff Productions bring their critically acclaimed re-imagining of the journey in pursuit of the legendary white whale to this iconic Bristol attraction.

When autumn rolls around, there will be a big welcome back for Opera Project and their co-production with Tobacco Factory Theatres of Rossini's The Barber of Seville (Wed 18 September - Sat 05 October). Opera Project present this exuberant masterpiece of operatic comedy at Tobacco Factory Theatres for the first time with an acclaimed English translation by the director, Richard Studer, and a terrific ten-piece orchestra playing Jonathan Lyness's arrangement of the score.

Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory also return in the autumn and for their landmark 20th Bristol season. Elizabeth Freestone (Henry V) is back to direct Much Ado About Nothing (Wed 16 October - Sat 09 November), Shakespeare's tumultuous comedy about the precarious path to finding love.

There is plenty of family friendly comedy and comic theatre peppered throughout the autumn. Gonzo Moose return with Once Upon A Time..., a fairy tale adventure bursting with clowning, absurd jokes and magical illusion (Wed 25 - Sat 28 September). Older children and adults will hail the return of Living Spit on Mon 11 - Sat 16 November, who have teamed up with the captivatingly talented singer Kate Dimbleby to present a highly original and playful re-telling of Homer's classic work, The Odyssey. And it's not often that stand-up comedy can be described as family friendly, but James Campbell presents The Funny World Of... on Sun 17 November, which is a stand-up comedy show for children over 6, their parents and anyone who likes comedy without the rude words!

As ever, the season also contains high quality touring work, which offers thought-provoking drama and socially conscious stories. Shon Dale Jones returns with the second in his trilogy of shows questioning the value of art and the power of story, ME & ROBIN HOOD (Wed 02 - Sat 05 October) looks at the growing gap between the rich and poor. Chris Thorpe's Status (Fri 11 & Sat 12 October) is a Fringe First-winning show about identity politics and escaping from the national story you're given and in Trying It On (Wed 16 - Sun 20 October), one of the UK's leading playwrights, David Edgar, imagines what his 20 year old self might think of his generation's actions over the past 50 years. Still No Idea from Bunny Productions (Thu 24 - Sat 26 October) takes a mischievous look from the points of view of two friends at how open-minded the world really is in 2019, and Nouveau Riche's Queens of Sheba (Wed 06 - Sat 09 November) is a fantastically energetic debut play shining a light on the problems faced by everyday women at the point where racism and misogyny collide.

Robert Lloyd Parry from Nunkie Theatre returns at Halloween to re-tell more of M R James's most eerie ghost stories. Dead Men's Eyes (Sun 27 October) and A Warning to the Curious (Sun 03 November) thrillingly bookend the week.

Charmane is a beautiful piece of theatre for children aged 5+ which nips in just before Christmas. With stunning puppetry and gentle storytelling, it is a subtle exploration into gender and learning to find your inner ROAR for children and their families.

Never to be outdone at Christmas, this year Tobacco Factory Theatres presents an historic four productions for the most magical time of the year. To start the festivities off in style, Douglas Walker unwraps the shocking true origins of Santa Claus in Of Christmas Past, an epic and funny fable for adults (Wed 27 & Thu 28 November). From Thu 28 November - Sun 19 January, Tobacco Factory Theatres is excited to welcome back New International Encounter for a brand new co-production in the Factory Theatre. Following the success of Beauty and the Beast in 2017, the same team now presents an original take on Snow White. Full of music, magic and fun for everyone aged 5+, this laughter-filled festive delight celebrates how we can all make the world a better place. Kid Carpet and his Noisy Animals take up residence in the Spielman Theatre by day with Noisy Nativity - a ridiculous Christmas journey of silliness and mischief for children aged 3+ and their families (Wed 04 December - Sun 05 January). Finally, Bristol should again prepare itself for Christmas nights hosted by Shesus and the Sisters (Fri 13 - Mon 30 December). The trio will be bringing a brand spanking new show to the Spielman Theatre that will once more deliver comedy, cabaret and therapy and will be strictly for adults!

Comedy has a firm place in the programme at Tobacco Factory Theatres and the autumn season's line-up does not disappoint. Adam Buxton comes to the Factory Theatre to read from his first book on Mon 07 & Tue 08 October and award-winning podcasters Scummy Mummies celebrate the scummier side of parenting on Wed 09 October. Also in the Factory Theatre, The Comedy Box presents more big names: John Robins (Mon 02 - Sat 07 September) and Sindhu Vee (Sun 08 September).

Finally, Tobacco Factory Theatres continues to present its regular Hosted Shows - productions and events from emerging artists, local community and education and amateur groups. Events this season include An Audience with Brian Blessed, supporting local charity PHASE Worldwide (Fri 07 June), Milk Poetry (Thu 13 June) and the return of Shakespeare Schools Festival (Mon 18 - Fri 22 November).

ACCESSIBLE PERFORMANCES

BSL interpreted performances

This season the following productions will have BSL interpreted performances:

Still No Idea Fri 25 October 8pm
Snow White Fri 13 December 7pm

Relaxed Performances

Tobacco Factory Theatres regularly offers relaxed performances; specially adapted performances to create an even more welcoming atmosphere for those with additional needs and their families.

Noisy Nativity Wed 11 December 11am
Snow White Wed 08 January 6pm & Thu 09 January 12pm

GET INVOLVED PROGRAMME
tobaccofactorytheatres.com/project/get-involved/
More information on all Get Involved activities can be found on the website and includes: Young Theatre Makers, Holiday activities and Young and Emerging Producers for young people; the workshops, talks and events for adults; and Explore Workshops, Bespoke Workshops and Teacher Membership for schools. Plus from September 2019, Tobacco Factory Theatres is launching a new community choir - The Factory Singers!

ARTIST DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
tobaccofactorytheatres.com/project/artists-and-companies/
Artist development opportunities can be found in the Artists and Companies section of the website and include Artist Residencies, Prototype scratch nights and the Artist Membership Scheme.

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