2016
Hello Edinburgh We are delighted to be supporting this excellent array of artists from the South West. Ferment is the artist development strand of Bristol Old Vic. Now in our seventh year we aspire to give the best possible opportunities to the artists we are excited by. One of those opportunities is Edinburgh. This is our chance to advocate and give bespoke advice to each artist so that, together, we look to ensure a future life for this wonderful work. We would love you to have a look at what we’re bringing to this vast theatrical table; we’re awfully proud of this rich mix. Enjoy! Emma Bettridge Bristol Old Vic Ferment Producer
The Castle Builder Vic Llewellyn & Kid Carpet The Castle Builder tells the true story of an inmate in a Norwegian psychiatric institute who, over five years, built a castle on a remote headland. The show spirals outwards from personal accounts into tales of other outsider artists who’ve been inspired to build gigantic extraordinary structures, alone, in secret, and without artistic validation from the real world. Vic Llewellyn and Kid Carpet explore these stories in an emotional and hard rocking journey into the hearts and souls on the outer limits of creativity and building regulations. “holds its audience, tenderly, in the palm of its hand, lifts us to the stars, then places us gently back down on earth, with a reminder that there’s always time to live better.” exuent magazine Maddy Costa on The Castle Builder
Summerhall (Venue 26) 3–4 Aug (previews) 5–28 Aug (exc. 15 & 22 Aug) 12.55pm @VicLlewellyn @KidCarpet #TheCastleBuilder
Dame Nature: The Magnificent Bearded Lady Havoc Theatre Moisturise. Oil. Comb. Repeat. Moisturise. Oil. Comb. Repeat. Moisturise. Oil. Comb. Repeat. Dame Nature is a bearded lady who has been looking after her facial furniture for as long as she can remember. And she just can’t stop combing over the past. Once the star of the show, now she spends her days in the depths of her dressing room contemplating the fading roar of the crowd, lost love and the merits of Phil Collins’ solo work. Straight from the old world of Victorian music hall, Dame Nature - The Magnificent Bearded Lady is an evening of stories and characters for audiences who don’t like to judge a woman by her beard. Join Dame Nature as she recounts tales from her extraordinary life and has a hilarious, heartfelt and hairy look at a world in which, unfortunately for her, it’s not what’s on the inside that counts.
Assembly George Square Theatre (Venue 8) 16–29 Aug 3pm
@havoctheatre #beardedlady
havoctheatre.com
The Hours Before We Wake Tremelo Theatre A lo-fi sci-fi black comedy set in 2091. Technology allows us to control our dreams and upload them to DreamShare. Our story follows Ian, a perpetual beta-male, who’s pretty insignificant but dreams of being a hero. After meeting the outcast Bea, he’s plunged headfirst into a world of conspiracy. The Hours Before We Wake is a sharp dystopian comedy about lucid dreaming, technology and not letting anyone inside your head. Tremolo Theatre use music, movement and intricate sound design to explore this dystopian world. “A little gem of a show, multi faceted and polished to perfection.”
55555 stagetalk magazine
Underbelly, Cowgate (Venue 61) 5–28 Aug (exc. 16 Aug) 2.40pm
@TremoloTheatre #TheHoursBeforeWeWake
tremolotheatre.com
Cuncrete Rachael Clerke & The Great White Males A drag king punk gig about architecture and idealism! A dysto-utopian noise about The Man! A no-wave musical about how we ended up in this mess! Hosted by washed up architect/proto-god figure Archibald Tactful (2014 Ideastap Underbelly Award winner Rachael Clerke) and accompanied by anti-virtuoso punk band The Great White Males - Cuncrete is a gratuitously sleazy and joyfully noisy critique of alpha-masculinity and the built environment. Expect original music, grotesque posturing, sharp suits and cement in a concrete room. “Extraordinary.” times literary supplement
Summerhall (Venue 26) 3 Aug (preview) 5–26 Aug (exc. Mondays) 10pm @rachaelclerke #cuncrete
rachaelclerke.com greatwhitemal.es
Shaedates: Or How I Learned To Love Myself Shaelee Rooke Shae has a boyfriend but she knows he’s not the one. Then she notices someone else… someone different… someone who’s always been there. A tender, surreal and wildly imaginative comedy about a woman who finds true love by dating herself. After her award-winning performance in This is Where We Live (Best Play, Fringe NYC 2014, New York Critics’ Choice, 55555 Time Out) Shaelee Rooke is back with her new one-woman show, directed by Toby Hulse. ‘Rooke’s portrayal of Chloe’s development is utterly captivating’ broadway baby on This is Where We Live
ZOO (Venue 124) 5-6 Aug (previews) 7-20 Aug 4.30pm @shaeleerooke #shaedates
theatrebristol.net/shaelee-rooke
Spill: A Verbatim Show About Sex Propolis Theatre “Bloody hell, erm… I have no idea, I have never tried to describe an orgasm before. It’s like a little treat, isn’t it? Yeah, it’s like a little treat, I think.” We’ve made a show about sex. Because it’s important. Because everyone wants to talk about it. Because it’s at the start of everything, at the heart of everything, and because we are taught, from such an early age, that we shouldn’t be talking about it. We’re told it should be clean, quiet, careful, hairless, monogamous, young, skinny, heterosexual… We asked the same questions to a variety of people from different backgrounds, sexualities, ages and experiences, to give you an honest look at what sex really is. We want to give you the chance to be voyeurs without feeling guilty about it. We are putting your words in our mouths. “Here is theatre at its most important: revelatory, witty and didactic without ever sermonising… A must-see at the Edinburgh Fringe this year.” a younger theatre
Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33) 23–29 Aug 1pm
@PropolisTheatre #Spill
www.propolistheatre.co.uk
Eurohouse Nasi Voutsas & Bertrand Lesca, Co-produced by Fellswoop Theatre “Bienvenue. Kalosórisma. Welcome. We are so happy to see you all here. Some of you we know rather well, some of you we don’t. But it doesn’t matter, you all look… stunning.” Two performers – one Greek, one French – dance and shout, cry and sing, agree and disagree, about life in the Eurohouse. A darkly comic look at the EU’s founding ideals and what got lost along the way. “One of the UK’s most innovative theatre companies” culture trip Made in transit between Greece and the UK, Eurohouse is developed with the help and support of Bios Athens, MAYK, Wardrobe Theatre, CPT & Incoming Festival.
Summerhall (Venue 26) 16-26th August 10.05am
@FellswoopTheatr #Eurohouse
fellswooptheatre.com
The Terrible Things I’ve Done Invisible Ink Invisible Ink has been collecting true stories of the terrible things we do. From lying to your boss to breaking your mum’s heart and everywhere in between, The Terrible Things I’ve Done explores the darker side of human nature. We invite you to our public confessional to revel in the funny, awkward and poignant world of people’s deepest secrets.
The Wardrobe Theatre, Bristol 29 Sep–1 Oct Chapter, Cardiff 4–8 Oct @invisibleink15 #TerribleThings
invisibleinktheatre.co.uk
Ferment is the artist development department of Bristol Old Vic. It is also the name we give to the vibrant community of theatre-makers from Bristol and the South West with whom we support and develop exciting and adventurous new work. Within this ‘ferment’, it is our job to create a playful structure through which the best of these artists can explore their theatrical ideas in an ongoing dialogue with audiences. Devisers, directors, writers, dancers, musicians, poets, puppeteers and live artists; Ferment invite a huge variety of artists whose work inspires us to experiment, play and make the theatre of tomorrow. Bristol Old Vic Ferment is curated and produced by Emma Bettridge and assistant producer Helen Edwards.
Contact Emma Bettridge Ferment Producer Helen Edwards Ferment Assistant Producer bristololdvic.org.uk 0117 987 7877 bristolferment@bristololdvic.org.uk @BristolFerment
Here are some of the ways we work with artists: Ferment Festivals Twice a year we invite artists to try something out in front of an audience which could be work-in-progress or scratch performances. Artist development We support artists through conversations where we discuss everything from an initial exploration of an idea, advice on applying for funding and everything in between. Retreats We invite artists to escape with us to the country to experiment, develop and make work in lovely surroundings away from day to day life. Support & Commissioning If a project really excites us, we support it to reach the next stage or into a full production.
Ferment-Ed Schedule
Date
EuroHouse
The Castle Builder
Wed 3
12.55pm (p)
Thu 4
12.55pm (p)
Spill: The Hours A Verbatim Before We Show Wake About Sex
Dame Nature
Shaedates: Or How I Learned To Love Myself
Cuncrete
10pm (p)
Fri 5
12.55pm
2.40pm (p)
4.30pm (p)
10pm
Sat 6
12.55pm
2.40pm
4.30pm (p)
10pm 10pm
Sun 7
12.55pm
2.40pm
4.30pm
Mon 8
12.55pm
2.40pm
4.30pm
Tue 9
12.55pm
2.40pm
4.30pm
10pm
Wed 10
12.55pm
2.40pm
4.30pm
10pm
Thu 11
12.55pm
2.40pm
4.30pm
10pm
Fri 12
12.55pm
2.40pm
4.30pm
10pm
Sat 13
12.55pm
2.40pm
4.30pm
10pm
Sun 14
12.55pm
2.40pm
4.30pm
10pm
Mon 15
2.40pm
Tue 16
10.05am
12.55pm
Wed 17
10.05am
12.55pm
Thu 18
10.05am
Fri 19
4.30pm 3pm
4.30pm
10pm
2.40pm
3pm
4.30pm
10pm
12.55pm
2.40pm
3pm
4.30pm
10pm
10.05am
12.55pm
2.40pm
3pm
4.30pm
10pm
Sat 20
10.05am
12.55pm
2.40pm
3pm
4.30pm
10pm
Sun 21
10.05am
12.55pm
2.40pm
3pm
Mon 22
10.05am
2.40pm
3pm
Tue 23
10.05am
12.55pm
1pm
2.40pm
3pm
10pm
Wed 24
10.05am
12.55pm
1pm
2.40pm
3pm
10pm
Thu 25
10.05am
12.55pm
1pm
2.40pm
3pm
10pm
Fri 26
10.05am
12.55pm
1pm
2.40pm
3pm
10pm
Sat 27
12.55pm
1pm
2.40pm
3pm
Sun 28
12.55pm
1pm
2.40pm
3pm
Mon 29
(p) = Preview
1pm
3pm
10pm
“Bristol’s vibrant festival of new work.” THE GUARDIAN
Lyn Gardner on Ferment Fortnight
Photography Paul Blakemore & Jack Offord Charity No. 228235