Bristol Old Vic Theatre School Announces Summer Festival At The Wardrobe Theatre

Bristol Old Vic Theatre School is thrilled to announce a summer takeover of popular arts venue The Wardrobe Theatre. From Thursday 25 May to Friday 17 June, graduating actors, directors, designers and technical students will collaborate on a cutting-edge programme of contemporary writing, presenting a double bill of plays each Thursday, Friday and Saturday night, as well as Saturday afternoons.

The plays have been penned by a pool of outstanding contemporary writers from the UK and beyond. They include Mercury Prize-winner and poet Kae Tempest; screenwriter Abi Morgan, best known for her work in film and television including Suffragette, The Split, The Hour and The Iron Lady; and award-winning writer and actor, Tom Basden, whose writing credits include comedies Plebs, Fresh Meat and The Wrong Mans.

The Old Market Assembly’s bar and restaurant is also getting in on the action, by offering audiences an exclusive deal to add on a food and drinks combo when purchasing theatre tickets.

Matthew Whittle, Artistic Director and CEO of The Wardrobe Theatre, commented, “We are delighted to be welcoming back the students of Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Each year they bring with them bags of energy and an eclectic mix of plays. For 2023 there’s something to please everyone: side-splitting comedies, psychological thrillers, and celebrating stories from diverse communities. The staff at the Old Market Assembly are ready to greet you before or after the show, making our venue the number one choice for a brilliant night out in Bristol this summer.”

Bristol Old Vic Theatre School’s Director of Drama, Ali de Souza, added: “This is such an exciting time in Bristol Old Vic Theatre School’s calendar. It is a valued opportunity to celebrate our vibrant and creative community, putting collaboration and diversity at the heart of what we do. To be doing these exquisite plays back in the Wardrobe Theatre is a real joy.”

Bristol Old Vic Theatre School Summer Festival at The Wardrobe Theatre features: 

Out of Love by Elinor Cook

Directed by Lydia McKinley, Designed by Alice Sales

Holes by Tom Basden
Directed by Lydia Cook, Designed by Chen Chen

Wasted by Kae Tempest
Directed by Richard Bland, Designed by Rhiannon Binnington

Dorian by Phoebe Eclair-Powell & Owen Horsley 
Directed by Phoebe Kemp, Designed by Abigail Manard

The Brink by Brad Birch
Directed by Daniel Preciado, Designed by Marta Sitarz

The Ugly One by Marius Von Mayenburg
Directed by Natalie Simone, Designed by Vyshnavi Krishnan

Tiny Dynamite by Abi Morgan
Directed by Monica Silkenas, Designed by Yifan Zhang

No One Will Tell Me How to Start A Revolution by Luke Barnes 
Directed by Roisin McCay-Hines, Designed by Jasmine Thompson

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