Theatre News

Summer Season Highlights at the Tobacco Factory

The Tobacco Factory Theatre have announced their summer season line-up, with a great mix of festivals, music, dance, puppetry, storytelling and new work in both the Factory and Brewery theatres – all of which will be powered by their brand new photovoltaic panels that now cover the entire roof of the Tobacco Factory, producing over 33% of the power consumed and saving over 10 tonnes of carbon a year!

Ali Robertson, Tobacco Factory Theatre says “Over the last few years the Tobacco Factory Theatre has worked with hundreds of artists, including launching several projects that have travelled nationally and internationally; opened a new auditorium and rehearsal room (The Brewery) and made significant capital improvements throughout the building. As a result of these achievements we have been invited, for the first time, to receive regular funding from the Arts Council. These successes have been the base for a steadily stronger programme and this year I am delighted to unveil our strongest summer season yet.”

Among the highlights of this season are two favourite festivals; Mayfest (5 – 14 May) with an eagerly anticipated return of NIE with Tales from a Sea Journey, a beautiful dance piece, May, from Tim Crouch and the first appearance at the Tobacco Factory of fabulous puppetry company Faulty Optic. Bristol BrouHaHa (14 – 23 July) is back in July with a hilarious line-up of comedians previewing their latest shows destined for Edinburgh, with many more comedy acts to join the current line-up.

The annual visit from Bristol Old Vic Theatre School brings a huge John Godber season (9 June – 2 July), including his new version of On the Piste, written for especially for the season.

Edith Piaf will be making an appearance in the Factory Theatre in Piaf – The Songs (1 & 2 July), the eagerly awaited production Of Mice and Men from Mind the Gap (27 & 28 May), and Lecoq-trained Jammy Voo make waves with A Corner of the Ocean (27 – 29 June).

Over the road at the Brewery Theatre sister of murdered BBC journalist Kate Peyton, Rebecca, paints a moving picture of life after Kate in Sometimes I Laugh Like My Sister (17 – 21 May); City of Bristol College students showcase their own work and Caryl Churchill’s Fen (25 – 28 May); and Bristol-based Fellswoop mix seminal 80s song lyrics and the text of Anton Chekhov to present a three-man version of The Seagull with Most Drink in Secret (7 – 11 June). Wrapping up the season is a beautiful piece by one of the world’s greatest living playwrights, Philip Ridley, from Room One productions – Leaves of Glass (16 – 20 August).

The family programme includes Olivier Award-nominated Potted Panto, dance music and paper-ripping fun with Rip Fold Scrunch, heart-warming penguin adventures from Travelling Light in Lost and Found and a magical train journey for puppets, Tim and Light.