Theatre

We’ve got plenty of live entertainment to keep you busy. Bristol may have (temporarily) lost its flagship theatre, but the scene’s as lively as ever, while Bath’s Theatre Royal regularly pulls in the stars. Classical fans should head for Bath’s Mozartfest or Bristol’s Colston Hall and St George’s. And our lively comedy scene is enjoying a spate of refurbs and new venues.

Bath Theatres

ICIA University of Bath, Claverton Down. Tel: 01225 386777. Web: www.bath.ac.uk/icia Onsite arts complex for Bath University. Hosts performances, exhibitions and workshops across the arts. Dance features more heavily than theatre. A general emphasis on original, boundary-pushing, emerging talent.

Kingswood Theatre Fonthill Rd , Lansdown. Tel: 01225 835301. Web: www.kingswood.bath.sch.uk. Modern, purpose-built school theatre, used mainly by local companies. Bath yoof company Zenith are frequent visitors: musicals a speciality.

The Mission Theatre 32 Corn Street. Tel: 01225 428600. Web: www.missiontheatre.co.uk Bijou city-centre theatre. Three years ago it was acquired by Next Stage, one of the region’s better am-dram outfits, and now hosts year-round theatre, plus jazz and comedy. Next Stage lean towards sharp, gritty modern drama and ambitious projects. Visiting companies, too. Cosy bar and bistro upstairs.

Rondo Theatre St Saviours Rd , Larkhall. Tel: 01225 463362. Web: www.rondotheatre.co.uk Intimate, friendly 100-seater theatre with a reputation as one of the UK’s best fringe theatres, regularly luring the likes of Big State, Peepolykus, Miracle Theatre. Nice bar in the wings - drink while you watch. Resident director has just left, so change is in the air.

Theatre Royal Bath Sawclose. Tel: (01225) 448844. Web: www.theatreroyal.org.uk Famous, historic receiving house, whose fast-turnaround programme (new production every week) offers everything from West End hits to classic RSC revivals. Big names this autumn include Penelope Keith, Tom Conti, Richard Wilson. Shows include Alan Bennett’s ‘The History Boys’ and a much-praised Bollywood rendering of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. TRB has also started producing its own shows, which debut here on their way to the West End. With the closure of Bristol Old Vic for the next 18 months (at least), TRB will be your local port of call for large-scale, quality drama. Whatever’s on, an evening at TRB is an experience in itself.

Theatre Royal Bath: The Egg Off Sawclose. Tel: 01225 448844. Web: www.theatreroyal.org.uk/the-egg Dedicated children’s theatre space. Highly-rated kids’ companies visit with shows for all ages, plus shows and workshops with the local yoof thespian talent. Currently hosting the fringe theatre and comedy programme normally housed at the Ustinov, which is being refurbished. Top-drawer UK puppeteer Gavin Skerritt and comic Howard Read are both coming soon.

Theatre Royal Bath: Ustinov Studio Monmouth St. Tel: 01225 448844. Web: www.theatreroyal.org.uk/ustinov-studio Flexible black-box studio venue attached to TRB, staging an impressive range of touring theatre, plus Bath International Puppet Festival every couple of years and a strong autumn new-writing roster. Also produces its own show every autumn - last year’s was a corker. Currently out of action (refurb), but set to return early 2008. Meanwhile, its fringe-related programme is being rehoused at sister space The Egg (see above).

Bristol Theatres

Alma Tavern Theatre Alma Vale Rd , Clifton . Tel: 0117 973 5171. Web: www.almataverntheatre.co.uk Fifty-seat pub venue frequented by adventurous Bristol-based companies like Theatre West. Their annual new-writing festival (this year, 18 Sept-24 Nov: see www.theatre-west.co.uk) is always worth catching. Theatre West have recently taken over the theatre’s management, so the space should be in use for around 40 weeks a year. Always cheap, and you can take your pint upstairs. Perfect. Bristol’s only pub theatre

Arnolfini Narrow Quay. Tel: 0117 917 2300. Web: www.arnolfini.org.uk Avant-garde performance (dance, theatre, performance art) is the speciality here - keep in touch with the sharp end of live art. Plus lots of art, arthouse films and bar (with lovely outside seating).

Bristol Hippodrome St Augustine’s Parade. Tel: 0870 607 7500. Web: www.bristolhippodrome.org.uk One of the few venues outside London capable of staging massive West End blockbusters. Big, star-studded musicals predominate, with top-notch opera and ballet too, plus occasional comedy and other live stuff (mediums, family shows, etc). Along with Bath’s Theatre Royal and Bristol Old Vic (currently closed, mind), the Hippodrome is one of a trio of theatres worth visiting just for its sheer splendour. English National Ballet, Welsh National Opera and Ellen Kent International all make frequent visits

Bristol Old Vic & Studio King St. Tel: 0117 987 7877. Web: www.bristol-old-vic.co.uk This grand old theatre, which has run continuously since 1766, has just closed its doors for a refurb lasting (it hopes) 18 months. Up till now, BOV has thrived on a mix of visiting shows and others produced in-house. Downstairs, the Studio has become an important centre for new writing and local leftfield theatre troupes. Mayfest has always been fantastic - a four-week springtime smorgasbord of the best in new physical theatre. This is still planned for next year, at various other venues across town: check Venue’s Theatre pages for details, and make sure you catch it.

Halo Cafe-Bar 141 Gloucester Rd. Email: tsbcavalier@yahoo.co.uk Cosy north Bristol cafe-bar with monthly visits from Bristol Playback Theatre, a local troupe who listen to your stories and act them right back at ya.

Kelvin Studios 253b Gloucester Rd. Tel: 0117 959 3636. Web: www.kelvinplayers.co.uk Home to one of Bristol’s best am-dram outfits, the Kelvin Players, who do a few shows (of a pretty high standard) each year at their own theatre and other venues across town (often comedies and modern drama).

Kuumba Hepburn Rd , St Pauls. Tel: 0117 942 1870. Web: www.kuumba.org.uk Bristol’s Afro-Caribbean arts centre, home to local arts projects, community-oriented workshops and regular theatre, comedy and dance.

Pro Cathedral Pro Cathedral Lane , Clifton . Web: www.artspacelifespace.com An exciting (if temporary) addition to the local performance landscape, ArtspaceLifespace are a Bristol-based arts collective who take over disused properties at risk from vandalism and petty crime, acting as caretakers and running the buildings as temporary arts venues until the developers move in. This autumn (until Jan), they’re in temporary residence at the magnificent, crumbling Pro Cathedral, Bristol’s former Catholic cathedral – expect cabaret, theatre, visual art. See website and check future Venues for more details.

QEH Theatre Jacob’s Wells Rd. Tel: 0117 930 3040. Web: www.qehbristol.co.uk Modern studio theatre primarily for the students at QEH School, but also hosting occasional public performances – theatre, dance, music. Currently closed for redevelopment, but back next year with a new rehearsal studio space and technical workshop.

Redgrave Theatre Percival Rd , Clifton . Tel: 0117 315 7600 Local non-pro companies make up the bulk of the programme here, but Bristol Old Vic Theatre School are also regular visitors. Home to many of the area’s top am-dram outfits.

Ridings Arts Centre Ridings High School , Winterbourne. Tel: (0117) 956 8812. Web: www.ridingsartscentre.co.uk Friendly out-of-town venue that can attract seriously big names, like Berkoff and Hull Truck.

The Tobacco Factory North St / Raleigh Rd, Southville. Tel: 0117 902 0344. Web: www.tobaccofactory.com A superbly flexible studio-scale performance space makes this south Bristol venue a popular destination for some of the country’s most innovative companies. The revered annual Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory season (Jan-Apr) is always worth catching – especially next spring’s ‘Hamlet’ courtesy of Jonathan Miller. Their new artistic director seems dynamic, and the autumn programme looks excellent – strong on comedy and the kind of weird adult puppetry at which Bristol seems to excel. Annual visit (Oct) from studio opera specialists Opera Project. See also Comedy listings.

Wickham Theatre Cantocks Close, Woodland Rd, Clifton. Tel: 0117 987 7877. Web: www.bris.ac.uk/drama/theatre Run by Bristol Uni Drama Dept, but the Wickham isn’t just about student productions. Leftfield drama and visiting international companies are also on the bill. Forthcoming highlight: off-kilter comedy ‘Hysteria’ by Inspector Sands (26 Oct).

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