THE CITYist My BRISTOL

Digital theatre of the future

What is it about the magic of theatre that makes our hearts race? When are we so immersed in the show that we lose track of time? Do we all shed a tear at the same moment, and do we collectively hold our breath? Bristol Old Vic and a team of researchers in neuropsychology from across Bristol and Bath want to find out. Becoming totally immersed in a show and moved by a performance is something many people have experienced in the theatre, but little is known about why it happens and in particular, why when we’re watching with others, we start to behave in similar ways – right down to the synchronizing of our heartbeats.

To discover more about this phenomenon, Bristol Old Vic has announced a major £150,000 research project bringing together the worlds of science and art. Funded by MyWorld and working with MyWorld partners University of Bristol, Bath Spa University, University of Bath and University of West of England, this investigation will centre around awardwinning international touring company Complicité’s latest production Drive Your Plow

Over the Bones of the Dead.

This is the biggest research project of its kind so far, with the aim of capturing the hidden audience experience. Up to 140 audience members over 10 performances will be invited to participate in the study. By wearing a simple wristband packed with state-of-the-art sensors, heart rates and other physiological responses will be recorded as they watch the production –to see if they all have similar responses at the same moment during the play.

• bristololdvic.org.uk

What’s your connection to Bristol and what makes the city so unique in your opinion? I came to Bristol in 2011 when the independent charity Bristol Music Trust was formed and I was recruited to head it up. Bristol is special because it is a human-size city, large enough to have strong cultural resources like Watershed and the Bristol Old Vic but can also be home to a rich variety of smaller scale arts activity.

How did it feel to be named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in King Charles III’s first New Year’s Honours list? It was surprising, but a brilliant chance to be able to show all of team Beacon that our work is recognised and celebrated.

Bristol Beacon is set to reopen this year as a world-class music venue. What is your vision for the future of Bristol Beacon and what are you most looking forward to when it reopens?

We can’t wait to open Bristol Beacon later this year and to be able to use the new venue to showcase local talent as well as present top international artists. The closure period has turned out to be much longer than we expected and I’m really looking forward to the daily buzz of greeting musicians and audiences into our inspiring new music spaces.

What do you enjoy the most about your job? I love it when we do something we didn’t think would be possible. A good example of this has been the free live-streaming of our London Symphony Orchestra concerts into care homes nationwide. We didn’t think the orchestra would be able to concede the rights or that we could afford to make it happen but a combination of goodwill and a generous sponsorship partnership with Bristol Care Homes made it all possible. I also really enjoy using contacts built up over many decades working in music to help talented colleagues widen their experience.

Where in Bristol do you go to be entertained/inspired?

For inspiration, I walk around the Harbourside or join a Nordic walking class on the Downs. My favourite night out is at Tobacco Factory Theatre or St George’s Bristol, hearing something new.

What are you reading/watching/listening to at the moment?

I’m reading Bad Blood by Colm Toibin, an account of recent Irish history as he walks along the Irish border. I’m listening to everything by the Icelandic classical pianist Vikingur Olafsson, who I was lucky enough to meet recently at the Steinway piano factory in Hamburg – in particular his recent release, From Afar

If you could have dinner with anyone from any era, who would it be and why?

I’d like to have met the 17th century English composer William Byrd, who wrote sublime music, stayed true to his political and religious beliefs and yet seemed to stay in favour throughout his long life. He must have been a wise man. I also didn’t really know any of my grandparents so I would love the chance to talk to them.

What is your philosophy in life? Do the best you can, and do it with a smile.

• bristolbeacon.org

Could 2023 be the year you Try a Tri?

GO TRI, developed by British Triathlon is a fun and accessible way for people to get into triathlon and multisport events for the first time. Triathlon is a great sport to get active and challenge yourself, and by taking on the three elements of swimming, cycling and running you can keep training fun and varied too.

Local GO TRI organiser Garga Chamberlain, a member of Bristol’s Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team running club, completed his first Try-a-Tri event in 2008 despite having “none of the gear and no idea” and being a total novice at swimming. “The short distances made it achievable and the event was very small and friendly, which helped a lot. Most of the entrants were first-timers like me and didn’t have state-of-the-art triathlon bikes that cost more than my car, so I didn’t feel out of place on my second-hand road bike,” he says.

Since that first event, Garga, a contact centre worker from Filton now in his fifties, has gone on to complete dozens of races including two Ironman events. “That first beginner’s event was a great stepping-stone for me, so now I’m very happy to be part of the GO TRI initiative putting on races for a new generation of beginners, with each event costing only around ten pounds. The cost of some Triathlon races and equipment can put people off trying it, but with GO TRI you can use any type of bike so long as it’s well maintained. You don’t need a wetsuit or trisuit or any other specialist kit. Your regular running or cycling clothes and a swimming costume will do fine. GO TRI events attract a broad spectrum of ages and abilities too –in our 2022 series we had an age range from teens to eighties.”

• For more information, visit gotri.org

Bristol Light Festival: 10-day light spectacular

Bristol’s favourite winter event is set to return in 2023, bigger, better and more exciting than ever before. Bristol Light Festival will illuminate the city centre from 3 – 12 February, with stunning interactive and captivating light installations creating a trail through the centre of Bristol. In 2023, the award-winning event will span 10 days to include two weekends, making it the longest edition to date. Showcasing a collection of local, national and internationally-renowned light artists and featuring up to 10 light installations, Bristol Light Festival will bring light, fun and colour to the city centre to brighten up the winter evenings. Visitors can wander and explore the city’s streets to see the light artworks come to life and enjoy Bristol’s wonderful retail and hospitality businesses along the way. Across the evenings from dusk till 10pm, the installations will shine a light in a few unexpected places as well as illuminating some of Bristol’s most iconic landmarks across the city.

• bristollightfestival.org

Eight young entrepreneurs from the South West –with five from Bristol –win national award

Eight of this year’s Young Innovator Award winners, announced by Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency, are from the South West –with five of the eight from Bristol. The winners have started the New Year with a boost after winning a coveted award for their new business projects.

From eco-friendly electronic sensors that convert light into electricity to an on-the-go power solution for cyclists who plan and track routes via apps, the South West innovators promise to make the world a better place.

The South West winners will take a share of the £1.25 million prize fund. They join a cohort of 94 young people aged 18 to 30 with business ideas that could change the world and will benefit from a £5,000 grant, one-on-one business coaching and an allowance to cover living costs. Winners from Bristol include:

Alasdair Aegerter (28 years old), an aerospace engineer who has created a hybrid aircraft, the ‘planeo-copter’, that can land anywhere. It can be used to transport goods more efficiently and to combat illegal logging, poaching and human trafficking. Alberto Morón Hernández (25 years old), originally from Madrid now living in Bristol, who has created Dellista, which develops privacy-preserving machine learning algorithms. Alberto hopes to fill a gap in the algorithm market, by creating safer, language-inclusive anonymised data. Ethan Wilkin (23 years old), who is developing a foldable electric motorbike aimed at urban commuters without secure off-street parking. Ethan’s prototype, the Hornet, can fold down to the size of a large suitcase. Jake Biele (28 years old), is passionate about creating technology that fights climate change. Jake is developing first of their kind electronic sensors that convert light into electricity, providing an ecofriendly and financially feasible solution. It will be used by companies and scientists that are trying to develop new technologies that utilise light to help tackle major challenges such as climate change or the ageing population. Samuel Graham (29 years old), who has created Revolv, an on-the-go power solution for cyclists who plan and track routes via apps. The rim-mounted device harnesses wheel motion to fast-charge smartphones and other devices as you ride.

• If you’re an inspiring young innovator, check out how Innovate UK could support you here: ktnuk.org/programme/young-innovators

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