Tobacco Factory announces Spring/Summer 2005 performance season

A brand new season of diverse and exciting performance kicks off shortly at the Tobacco Factory in South Bristol. Following Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory’s Three Sisters which runs until the end of April, we present a host of theatrical delights from May until July which should cater to all tastes.

The season opens with Theatre Absolute’s Street Trilogy (Tue 3 – Sat 7 May), three plays portraying the vulnerable and the violent as they lash out against the world around them. From the adrenaline-fuelled anarchy of a car theft to the new beginning offered by a baby in the womb, life on the dirty side of the tracks is shown without compromise or sentimentality, and you can see all three plays (Car, Raw and Kid) for just £15 full / £12 concession.

Later in the month, Theatre Resource put disability reality on the agenda in At Home with the Cripps, (Thu 19 – Fri 20 May) a fast-moving drama where four disabled adults show life as it really is – warts and all. June sees Ministry of Entertainment, one of the West’s most popular theatre companies, presenting their West Country at War Trilogy (Tue 7 – Sat 18 June). Bringing together songs from the era and based on the memories of local people who lived through WWII, these heart-warming plays will appeal to all ages.

A real high-point late in the season is the return of Gecko’s Taylor’s Dummies (Tue 5 – Sun 17 July). This mesmerising show stopped off at the Factory for three nights last year as part of a hugely successful UK (then world) tour, and left audiences wanting more. This year, we’re delighted that Taylor’s Dummies will play for two weeks, so everyone who missed it last year can find out what all the fuss was about…

All this plus family shows, comedy and the welcome return of the Southbank Arts Trail, there’s something for everyone at the Tobacco Factory this season.

Street Trilogy: Car  Raw  Kid
Theatre Absolute Tue 3 – Sat 7 May
£10 full / £7 concession per performance / Trilogy tickets from £12*

Written by Chris O’Connell
Directed by Mark Babych 

‘Car’, ‘Raw’ and ‘Kid’ are three award-winning plays that make up Chris O’Connell’s highly-acclaimed ‘Street Trilogy’. Each play can be viewed separately, but combined they present an uncompromising portrait of life on the dirty side of the tracks.

*Trilogy tickets are £15 full / £12 concession, or you can see 3 plays on separate days and pay for 2. Contains strong language and scenes of a violent nature. Suitable for ages 15 +. Each show lasts approx 85 mins with no interval.

Car
Tue 3 May 7.30pm / Wed 4 May 2.00pm / Sat 7 May 5.00pm

Four lads steal a car. It’s a story played out at breakneck speed that grinds together the pulsating excitement and the mind-numbing desperation of the characters, each on their own separate crash course. Winner Time Out Award for Best Fringe Play 1999 Edinburgh Fringe First Award 1999

Raw
Wed 4 May 3.45pm / Thu 5 May 7.30pm / Sat 7 May 6.45pm

It’s the addiction to violence that Lex and her crew live for. But when a boy on a train is attacked and doesn’t get up, their lives begin to freefall… Edinburgh Fringe First Award 2001 

Kid
Wed 4 May 6.00pm / Fri 6 May 7.30pm / Sat 7 May 9.00pm 

Zoe and Lee are on the run, K’s lost in Latino spirit and Bradley wants to be a boy. It’s the hottest day of the year, the yard’s scorched, the cat’s eaten the burgers, and there’s a secret desperate to be told...  

Post show discussion Wed 4 May

Five Sides of a Circle - Click For The Review
Eventually the Gospel writers meet… 
Tue 10 – Sat 14 May 7.30pm*
£6 – £12** 

Written by Neville Boundy
Directed by Elwyn Johnson

 The story of Jesus is told from four viewpoints in the Gospel. Do the four agree? Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are encouraged to meet, explore their differences and try to solve the contradictions.

*8.00pm on Thu 12 May + 2.30pm matinee on Sat 14 May
**Contact Box Office for full ticket prices.
Post show discussions Wed 11 + Fri 13 + Sat 14 May (matinee)

At Home with the Cripps
Theatre Resource
Thu 19 – Fri 20 May 8.00pm
£10 full / £7 concession

A fast-moving, entertaining drama where four disabled adults show life as it really is - warts and all. They laugh, they cry, they smoke, they drink, they do good things and bad things…It’s just an ordinary day with the Cripps. It’s time to put disability reality on the agenda in this challenging new play from Theatre Resource.

All performances are sign language interpreted and are designed to be accessible to disabled and non disabled audiences. Contains swearing and scenes of a sexual nature.  

Tales of the West Country at War Trilogy
Ministry of Entertainment
£10 full / £7 concession per performance (matinees £7 / £5) 

Special offer: see 3 plays and pay for 2 (cheapest ticket free)  
Written by Joe Hobbs
Musical Director Kit Morgan
Performed by Kate McNab and Ross Harvey 

Keep Smiling Through
Fri 10 Jun 7.30pm + Thu 16 Jun 1.30pm / 7.30pm + Fri 17 Jun 7.30pm

Two neighbours help each other out and cheer each other up through Bristol’s darkest hour.

Yes, We Have No Bananas
Wed 8 Jun 7.30pm + Thu 9 Jun 1.30pm / 7.30pm + Wed 15 Jun 7.30pm + Sat 18 Jun 2.00pm / 7.30pm

A light-hearted look at the build up to D-Day on the South coast.
Post show discussion Wed 8 June

Doodlebugs and Bogeymen
Tue 7 Jun 7.30pm + Sat 11 Jun 2.00pm / 7.30pm + Tue 14 Jun 7.30pm

A fond look at the lives of Jean and Brian Milton, two evacuees sent from the city to stay with Mr and Mrs Brimble on their West Country farm.

Taylor’s Dummies
Gecko
Tue 5 – Sun 17 Jul (excluding Mon 11 Jul) 8.00pm
£14.50 full / £10.50 concession

Following its huge success at the Tobacco Factory last year and a world tour, ‘Taylor’s Dummies’ is back with an extended run. If you missed it in 2004, now’s your chance to find out what all the fuss was about…  

Imagine Vertigo directed by David Lynch and performed by De La Guarda to the riffs of 1950s jazz. Inventively multi-dimensional, the performers walk up walls, fly through the air and bring dolls and dummies to life.

Post show discussions Thu 7 + Thu 14 July

Bristol Academy of the Performing Arts (BAPA) presents:

Into the Woods
Mon 27 Jun – Sat 2 Jul 7.30pm*
£8 – £12 full / £6 – £10 concession**

A wonderful retelling of the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tales where several familiar characters – and some new ones – share a stage. *2.30pm matinee on Sat 2 Jul. **Contact Box Office or visit www.tobaccofactory.com for full ticket prices.

Beer and skittles
Fri 24 – Sat 25 Jun 8.00pm
£9 full / £7 concession

Seven pub love stories performed by a BAPA cast in the Tobacco Factory Theatre Bar. Unsuitable for under 16s 

Side by Side by Sondheim
Thu 2 – Sat 4 Jun 8.00pm
£10 full / £8 concession 

This ingenious revue features songs from Sondheim’s most celebrated musicals including Anyone Can Whistle, A Little Night Music, Follies, Gypsy and West Side Story. 

On That Note…
Sat 4 Jun 2.30pm      
£8 full / £6 concession

Witty musical theatre entertainment, from opera favourites to West End showstoppers to improvised musical comedy.  

Event:
Southbank Arts Trail
Sat 21 – Sun 22 May 

Includes Live Music in the Theatre from 6.00pm Sun 22 May 

We’re delighted to be involved in the trail once again, with art and performance in the theatre, café/bar and yard. A brochure of events for the entire weekend will be available from the Tobacco Factory, the Southville Centre and participating houses and galleries flying the Southbank logo. www.southbank-bristol.co.uk

Comedy

Dara O Briain

The Comedy Box in association with Off The Kerb Productions
Sun 8 May 8.00pm £12

One of the most charismatic, fast-talking and downright funny live performers working today, O Briain will be performing at the usual breakneck pace, throwing ideas and notions in all directions. 

Jeremy Hardy
The Comedy Box in association with Off The Kerb Productions
Sun 12 – Mon 13 Jun 8.00pm £14

Jeremy Hardy’s secret weapon is intelligent comedy…and he’s not afraid to use it. One of the country’s most popular stand-up comedians comes to the Tobacco Factory for two nights as part of his current UK tour.

Madame Galina Ballet Star Gallactica: The Pavlova Mix
Fri 29 – Sat 30 Jul 8.00pm £10 full / £7 concession

Following her spectacular success last year, Madame Galina is back with the ‘Pavlova Mix’. Much like Anna Pavlova did in her day, Madame Galina intends to audition local people to appear alongside her, with whatever party pieces they have up their sleeves… 

Family shows

Jack
Storybox Theatre Company
Sat 25 Jun 11.00am £6 adult / £4 children

With a handful of beans and a heart full of courage, Jack sets off on a tall tale of high adventure. Remaining faithful to the spirit of the original story, ‘Jack’ will delight and surprise both children and adults. Suitable for ages 5+

Dusty the Vacuum Cleaner Boy
Stuff and Nonsense Theatre Company
Sat 9 Jul 11.00am / 1.00pm £6 adult / £4 children

A delightful show incorporating puppetry, physical comedy, circus skills and live music, ‘Dusty…’ tells the story of a boy who has an astonishing skill… Suitable for ages 5+

Southwest
Scriptwriters New Writing Festival 2005
Mon 18 – Sat 23 Jul
£6 full / £5 concession

Southwest Scriptwriters – Bristol’s leading group for writers of stage, screen, radio and television drama – presents its eighth annual New Writing Festival. 

At least one new script will be staged every night, so this is your chance to catch a week of premieres. Visit www.southwest-scriptwriters.co.uk/festival for details in June.  

 Tobacco Factory May 05 Jul 05 Calendar

 May

 Tue      3          Street: Car                 7.30pm

 Wed    4          Street: Car                 2.00pm

 Wed    4          Street: Raw                3.45pm

 Wed    4          Street: Kid                  6.00pm            

 Thu      5          Street: Raw                7.30pm

  Fri       6          Street: Kid                  7.30pm

 Sat      7          Street: Car                 5.00pm

 Sat      7          Street: Raw                6.45pm

 Sat      7          Street: Kid                  9.00pm

 Sun     8          Dara O Briain            8.00pm

 Tue      10        Five Sides                 7.30pm

 Wed    11        Five Sides                 7.30pm

 Thu      12        Five Sides                 8.00pm

 Fri       13        Five Sides                 7.30pm

 Sat      14        Five Sides                 2.30pm

 Sat      14        Five Sides                 7.30pm

 Thu      19        The Cripps                 8.00pm

 Fri       20        The Cripps                 8.00pm

 Sat      21        Arts Trail

 Sun     22        Arts Trail

 June 

 Thu      2          Side by Side              8.00pm

 Fri       3          Side by Side              8.00pm

 Sat      4          On That Note             2.30pm

 Sat      4          Side by Side              8.00pm

 Tue      7          Doodlebugs               7.30pm

 Wed    8          No Bananas               7.30pm

 Thu      9          No Bananas               1.30pm

 Thu      9          No Bananas               7.30pm

 Fri       10        Keep Smiling             7.30pm

 Sat      11        Doodlebugs               2.00pm

 Sat      11        Doodlebugs               7.30pm

 Sun     12        Jeremy Hardy            8.00pm

 Mon     13        Jeremy Hardy            8.00pm

 Tue      14        Doodlebugs               7.30pm

 Wed    15        No Bananas               7.30pm

 Thu      16        Keep Smiling             1.30pm

 Thu      16        Keep Smiling             7.30pm

 Fri       17        Keep Smiling             7.30pm

 Sat      18        No Bananas               2.00pm

 Sat      18        No Bananas               7.30pm

 Fri       24        Beer & Skittles*         8.00pm

 Sat      25        Jack                            11.00am

 Sat      25        Beer & Skittles*         8.00pm

 Mon     27        Into the Woods          7.30pm

 Tue      28        Into the Woods          7.30pm

 Wed    29        Into the Woods          7.30pm

 Thu      30        Into the Woods          7.30pm

  July  

 Fri       1          Into the Woods          7.30pm

 Sat      2          Into the Woods          2.30pm

 Sat      2          Into the Woods          7.30pm

 Tue      5          Taylor’s Dummies     8.00pm

 Wed    6          Taylor’s Dummies     8.00pm

 Thu      7          Taylor’s Dummies     8.00pm

 Fri       8          Taylor’s Dummies     8.00pm

 Sat      9          Dusty                          11.00am

 Sat      9          Dusty                          1.00pm

 Sat      9          Taylor’s Dummies     8.00pm

 Sun     10        Taylor’s Dummies     8.00pm

 Tue      12        Taylor’s Dummies     8.00pm

 Wed    13        Taylor’s Dummies     8.00pm

 Thu      14        Taylor’s Dummies     8.00pm

 Fri       15        Taylor’s Dummies     8.00pm

 Sat      16        Taylor’s Dummies     8.00pm

 Sun     17        Taylor’s Dummies     8.00pm

 Mon     18        SW Scriptwriters       TBC

 Tue      19        SW Scriptwriters       TBC

 Wed    20        SW Scriptwriters       TBC

 Thu      21        SW Scriptwriters       TBC

 Fri       22        SW Scriptwriters       TBC

 Sat      23        SW Scriptwriters       TBC

 Fri       29        Madame Galina        8.00pm

 Sat      30        Madame Galina        8.00pm

 THE TOBACCO FACTORY
Raleigh Road
Southville
Bristol
BS3 1TF

Box Office: 0117 902 0344, 50p booking charge on all credit card bookings

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