A celebration of the best physical and visual theatre for only a fiver

Next month sees the welcome return of Bristol Old Vic’s four-week Mayfest to the Studio. Fourteen companies are taking part in a festival of the most exciting visual and physical theatre from across the UK with all tickets at £5. And on some nights, there’s a free drink too.

After an amazing reception last year, Big State Theatre Company returns to kick-start the festival with 'The Fire Starter'- a highly irreverent, fast-paced comedy based on the Arch-Druid Dr William Price. He is unleashed into a repressed Victorian community in a tiny Welsh village and nothing will ever be the same again. Mayfest also welcomes back People Show with their latest production '115 Play Dead', a madly experimental cowboy tale of music, guns and utter lawlessness.

New visitors to the festival include some of physical theatre’s most prized companies: Oddbodies with the glorious, bawdy comedy ‘The Rakes Progress’, based on Hogarth’s paintings; the Edinburgh Fringe sensation Rotozaza with the strangest improvisation show you’ll ever see; and Tara Arts’ vivid Indian fantasy ‘Mandragora-King of India’. Bringing a musical twist, classical music oddballs the gogmagogs perform ’Gumbo Jumbo’, a mix of theatre and musical styles from Madagascan dance rhythms to Big Band Blues; and the legendary Opera Circus visit Bristol Old Vic for the first time with their special blend of physical theatre skills and operatic voice.

Bristol Old Vic is also delighted to present two legends: the international mime artist Nola Rae and her latest solo performance 'Exit Napoleon Pursued by Rabbits', about a clown’s rise to power; and Cartoon de Salvo, with ‘Chaingang Gang’, bringing their latest cocktail of improvisation and adventure.

Performances from Bristol’s most exciting companies include: Deer Park with ‘See You Swoon’, an outstanding mix of theatre and dance; the extraordinary Bodies in Flight, in collaboration with Angel Tech, with the world premiere of the high-tech 'Who By Fire'; and Full Beam Visual Theatre’s ‘Alice’ full of puppetry, mime, music and inspired by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Also welcomed to the Studio are local newcomers Tom Wainwright, with a one-man show about war, sweets and the imaginary friends of an eccentric ten year-old boy (developed in association with Bristol Old Vic) and the convention-busting The Special Guests with their luminous production ‘Underneath All the Noise Somebody was Singing’, examining the stories behind the nobodies.

Artistic Directors David Farr and Simon Reade who have programmed the festival said: “Mayfest is back by popular demand. It’s a whirlwind of brilliant theatre celebrating local and national talent that will take your breath away. And with all seats only a fiver, you’ll be able to join in the festival atmosphere throughout the month - and treat a friend too.”

 Performance Times:

 may  4-5       big state theatre company        8pm
6         rotozaza                8pm
     7-8       nola rae                 8pm
11        full beam circus theatre        8pm
     12        oddbodies                    8pm
     13        deer park                8pm
     14-15        tara arts                8pm (also 2pm on 15 may)
     17        tom wainwright              8pm
     18-19        bodies in flight              8pm
     20-22        opera circus                 8pm
     24-25        cartoon de salvo               8pm
     26-27        people show                  8pm
     28        the special guests              8pm
     29        the gogmagogs           8pm  

 seat prices:        All seats £5

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