Bristol Life - Issue 365

TThe he BiG Bi ISSUE 365 / MARCH 2025/ £3

ISSUE 365 / MARCH 2025 / ART AND THE CITY

Spring

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ART ARTs preview *may also contain traces of suMmer and autumn events

+ Hot Dogs at St George’s + Shakespeare back at the TFT + bibimbap on Chandos Road + Heroes in unexpected places + The Other Andy Hamilton’s wild, wild life + brown things for your home

EDITOR’S LETTER

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Add to (c)art

It may be cold outside, but the cultural scene’s heating up nicely. Our top 22 picks for the next few months will keep you warm until the great thaw; head to page 10 and get booking

rue to form, January lasted for about thirteen weeks and February hasn’t gone by any faster. However, things are looking up. While the rest of us were pointlessly grumbling about the relentless bleak midwinteriness of it all, bickering over how high to tweak the thermostat and wondering whether investing in an electric blanket was a bit too, well, Bridget Jones, Bristol’s theatres, galleries and concert halls were busily putting together their spring programmes to cheer us all up.

Once again, the variety and quality of the cultural offerings coming our way are off the scale, so the least we could do was rouse ourselves sufficiently to run a big preview; we’ve snuck in a few bits for summer and autumn too, because these things do tend to get booked up.

Anyway, it’s nice to dream.

In addition to aforesaid preview we’ve taken a closer look – please don’t say ‘deep dive’ unless you’re describing a tufted duck – at two new shows. I’ve been writing for this magazine for over 20 years – I know, it’s high time I changed that editor’s photo – so I have huge nostalgia for Andrew Hilton’s legendary Shakespeare seasons at the TFT. This spring the theatre is partly reviving the tradition with a new production of The Winter’s Tale; we met up with its Hermione, the delightful Alice Barclay, to hear what to expect.

Oh, and Police Dog Hogan are back at St George’s! Trust me, you don’t need to be a country music fan to have an absolute ball at their gigs. We interviewed banjo player Tim Dowling (again) – I mean, who wouldn’t?

We also took such a shine to the subject of this issue’s Bristol Lives, ‘brewer, forager, broadcaster, spaceman and occasional liar’ Andy Hamilton (no, the other one) that we completely lost our heads and made this into a two-page feature for the first time ever.

That’s just the wild, unpredictable way we like to roll. For more unhinged maverick behaviour, tune in again next month.

DERI ROBINS Bristol Life editor @BristolLifeMag

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Issue 365 / March 2025 ON THE COVER Our pick of the 2025 pops; page 10

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ARTS

10 ARTS PREVIEW What cultural delights are coming our way this spring and beyond? ) 24 WHAT’S ON If it’s not in the above pages you’ll probably fin it here 32 MUSIC The Dogs are back in town 36 THEATRE Alice in Winterland 40 BRISTOL HEROES The roads less travelled 47 BOOKS Short books for the time-poor

FOOD & DRINK

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48 RESTAURANT Dongnae’s the limit 50 FOOD & DRINK NEWS Guess who has a shiny new Michelin star? (And other stories) 53 CAFÉ SOCIETY Corner boys 55 WINE Uruguayan wine; fun to say, even more fun to drink

SHOPPING

56 ED’S CHOICE Golden brown, texture like sun.

But obviously not in the heroin sense

EDUCATION

58 SCHOOL REPORT Three of the best

BUSINESS

65 NETWORK News and views 71 AWARDS The Bristol Life Awards loometh

PROPERTY

72 SHOWCASE Vale, no tears

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REGULARS

6 SPOTLIGHT ...on an film 8 BRIZZOGRAM Bristol Light Festival 81 BRISTOL LIVES (The other) Andy Hamilton

Editor Deri Robins deri.robins@mediaclash.co.uk Senior art editor Andrew Richmond Cover design Trevor Gilham Contributors Colin Moody, Stan Cullimore, Storysmith Books, Charlie Taylor Commercial manager Neil Snow neil.snow@mediaclash.co.uk Business development manager Tony Robinson tony.robinson@mediaclash.co.uk Production/ operations manager Kirstie Howe kirstie.howe@mediaclash.co.uk Chief executive Jane Ingham jane.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk Chief executive Greg Ingham greg.ingham@ mediaclash.co.uk Bristol Life MediaClash, Media House, 1 Widcombe Parade, Bath, BA2 4JT. tel: 01225 475800; www.mediaclash.co.uk. @The MediaClash © All rights reserved. May not be reproduced without written permission of MediaClash.

We’re a West Country-based publisher, creative agency and event organiser Magazines Our portfolio of regional magazines celebrates the best of local living: Bath and Bristol. Agency From the design and build of websites to digital marketing and creating company magazines, we can help. Events We create, market, promote and operate a wide variety of events both for MediaClash and our clients Contact: info@mediaclash.co.uk

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SPOTLIGHT Martin’s always liked to be beside the seaside

Nic (Daisy, right) with frenemy Jen. No, we don’t trust her either

TV

LOTTA BOTTLE

Documentary

PARR EXCELLENCE Bristol street photographer Martin Parr is internationally revered for his satirical and colourful street photography, much of it capturing the everyday lives of people in the UK. Fancy joining him on one of his road trips? Just head to Watershed this month, where the new documentary I Am Martin Parr allows you to hitch a ride as Martin travels around the country, revisiting many of the locations documented in his work.

Martin’s style is unmistakeable, but it goes deeper than that: he has so inveigled his way into our national subconscious that someone once described the Queen’s jubilee celebration as being “like Martin Parr day”. e’s also accor ing to the film’s irector Lee Shulman, “one of the most controversial contemporary photographers of his time‚ his images often amusing and entertaining.

And yet he makes us feel ever so slightly uncomfortable‚ caught between a silent laugh and the frightful realisation of recognising ourselves in his uncompromising portrait of consumerist society.”

It’s true that Martin’s photos of the great British public at play are more Little Britain than Merchant & Ivory, leading some critics to accuse them of being patronising and exploitative. Others – it’s fair to say the ma ority fin them warm un u gemental and witty.

So, what makes a Parr photo so unique? he tal ing hea s in the film attempt to work it out. “A sense of humour... politics... humanity... kitsch...” Finally, in a nutshell, courtesy of Grayson Perry: “True genius”.

Watershed until 27 February; www.martinparr.com

he ottle ar an ristol ilm ffice have been exceptionally busy bees, and the results are currently up on our screens for our enjoyment.

Twisted comedy thriller Am I Being Unreasonable? has just returned for a second season, trailing series one BAFTA glory in its wake. Once again, the show is cocreate by est ountry’s finest Daisy May Cooper, who since her breakout success with This Country has also gone on to create and star in Rain Dogs.

“Daisy is such a significant talent from the region and it’s our goal to support local talent wherever we can to make outstanding screen content”, says hea of film aura viles.

Another welcome return is Boarders, the dramedy about a bunch of gifted kids from a London estate who win scholarships to a PR-hungry private ristol school. nteriors were filme at ottle Yard; Clifton College once again becomes ‘St Gilbert’s’, Clifton’s King’s Road improbably stands in for Lewisham, and Dove Street estate in Kingsdown serves as Jaheim’s ends.

Season Two of Rivals is also on its way, and look out too for new psychological thriller The Crow Girl showing on aramount after filming entirely in and around Bristol last year. www.filmbristol.co.uk

Yet another of those ‘best cities’ lists

RAVE ON, AVON Time Out has compiled its latest ‘best 50 cities in the world’ thing, with Bristol sliding in the charts at 48. Apparently we’re marginally less exciting than Belfast (number 47) but just edge it over Mumbai at 49.

Bristol gets a thumbs-up for its artiness, lairiness and bohemianism.

“There’s street art on every corner, plus a lively mix of protests, raves,

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mega festivals and DIY gigs. Bristol’s long been known for its rebellious and creative streak, but the city is now moving out of its underground phase and going global.” “Diverse and inclusive” were the terms most locals would choose to describe their ‘hood; Bristol also scores highly for its food scene and its arts and culture. www.media.timeout.com

“Lewisham”

THE LIGHTS FANTASTIC Bristol Light Festival returned this month, filling our bleak little winter lives with fun, colour and joy. Didn’t get around to doing this year’s trail? These pics will make you wish you had Beat the evil algorithms! Follow us on instagram and tag us with your pics: @bristollifemag

Photos by Andre Pattenden. More at www.bristollightfestival.org

Anthems Volume One by Marcus Lyall and RUN Collective

Our Beating Heart by Studio Vertigo

Bristol is Always a Good Idea by Real Hackney Dave

C-Scales by Bruce Munro Studio

Parallels by Architecture Social Club

Somnius by Illumaphonium

Swing Song by Bristol Light Festival

Tetra by Ottomata

The Whilers by Air Giants

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Ramandu’s Table

by Bruce Munro Studio

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SHOW TIME Strap yourself in; the local cultural scene is preparing for lift-off

Words by Deri Robins

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HANG OUT WITH THIS THUG WITH A HEART eet Furiozo: a man loo ing for trouble. he ar robe imme iately boo e iotr i ora’s wordless, solo clowning comedy show about an angry but softhearted thug after seeing it at inburgh last year; e pect police chases, drug busts and shootouts, but with genuine moments of tenderness and a proper message worth sharing, in a disturbing yet absurdly funny portrait of toxic masculinity. ou will love him. ou will hate him. ou will e perience the presence of the beast. s urio o himself woul say ive fast; ie.

At Wardrobe Theatre, until 1 March www.thewardrobetheatre.com

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COME INTO THE GARDEN escribe by artin arr as one of the pioneering female voices in British photography, Siân Davey draws extensively on her previous career as a

psychotherapist to create subtly observed photo which chart the daily dynamics of family life and frien ships. he show collates photos from several earlier series. Looking For Alice focuses on Siân’s daughter, who has Down’s Syndrome; as well as charting their own home life with all its highs and lows, the photos act as a microcosm for many other families.

Martha is Siân’s teenage stepdaughter; this collection focuses on the way she begins to shape herself as a social being, her group of friends acting not just as a safeguard and source of protection but a learning groun .

The Garden was inspired by a suggestion made by Siân’s son u e that they shoul fill their bac gar en with wil owers an bees, and photograph the people they meet over the gar en wall. s the owers opene they called in the community; the mothers and daughters, grandparents, the lonely, the marginalised, teenagers, new lovers, the heartbroken and those who had concealed a lifetime of shame. hey became enfol e into the story of the garden, creating and partaking in the story e ually... s the gar en evolve it became an expression of joy, interconnectedness, yearning, se uality an efiance. he garden became a metaphor for the human heart itself.

Also on display in the exhibition are photographs from Communion, taken at summer festivals, and The Creative Body Process, referencing

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PHOTO BY MICHAEL ALBERRY

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he stage is set.

New artwork is being hung on the walls. he ban s are tuning up – all that’s missing is you. ere are just 22 of the exhibitions, gigs and shows taking place in the city, mostly during the first half of the year; some have already begun, others are on their way. a e li e a o mon hunter an try to catch ’em all.

ARTS

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SEE THE CITY THROUGH A LENS

In 2023,14 photographers were invited by Bristol Photo Festival to work with local communities to create a portrait of Bristol today. The result is Dreamlines, and it’s every bit as fascinating as you’d hope.

Clementine Schneidermann captured textiles group the Shire Stitchers as they created a series of quilts; Sebastian Bruno encouraged the Salvation Army to restage Two Mile Hill’s historic brass band parade; Jessie Edwards-Thomas and Kelly O’Brien worked with elders from Acta Community Theatre to explore the overlooked histories of working class labour in South Bristol, and Chris Hoare documented Shirehampton Men’s Social Club.

Esther May-Campbell took photos of every business along Church Road; Jade Carr-Daley examined experiences of Black motherhood while Michael Alberry explores ideas of faith and community. Plenty more where those came from; the images may never make it onto the postcards but they reveal far more about the modern city than any sunset shot of the Suspension Bridge.

At M Shed, until 20 April; www.bristolmuseums.org.uk

how Sian’s practice has expanded beyond image-making over the last ten years while retaining ideas of efiance an connection.

“As a psychotherapist I have listened to many stories”, says i n. t’s interesting that what has been revealed to me after 15 years of practice is not how ifferent we are to one another but rather how ali e we are. he stories may vary but we all share the same emotions, we are all vulnerable to feelings of anger, grief, epression an so on.

At Martin Parr Foundation, until 23 March; www. martinparrfoundation.org

of music to transcend time, how real genius always welcomes the new, and how love can overcome fear and convention; along with classical tunes there’s a twist of blues, a splash of tango, and a ash of roc ’n’ roll. ay contain the actual ghost of o art.

15-17 April at TFT; www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com

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DO NOT PLAY THIS PIANO You can, however, come along to see the show of the same name, about young musician Will’s passion for piano playing and their joy at breaking the moul . his inburgh Fringe hit is all about the power

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The work of Paule Vézelay – Marjorie Watson- Williams to her mum and dad – was often inspired by her home city.

This is Bomb Damage at Bristol, 1942

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LIFT HER UP WHERE SHE BELONGS Born Marjorie WatsonWilliams in Clifton, Paule Vézelay was one of the ’s first abstract artists. However, along with dozens of other early-20thcentury female creatives her reputation suffere from being a woman in a man’s world.

RWA puts the record straight in Living Lines, a landmark exhibition celebrating Paule’s pioneering journey. It brings her full circle; she’d studied painting and etching in the Bristol School of Art in the same building, and her early works capture the energy of the city’s cultural life.

It was in the 1920s that Paule’s career really too off. oving to France, where she found herself hobnobbing with the big-hitters of Paris’s avant-garde world – Miró, Calder, the Kandinsky, Matisse – she became a ey figure in mo ern art’s transition toward abstraction.

Don’t miss this chance to rediscover a Bristol-born mo ernist who are to re efine artistic boundaries. Come along and smash the patriarchy on her behalf, albeit retrospectively; hopefully she’ll be watching.

Until 27 April 2025; www.rwa.org.uk Also showing: Soft Power (17 May-10 August), in which 21 international artists highlight how cloth can play a unique role in storytelling.

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MARVEL AT SOME WORLD-CLASS FIGURATIVE ART

End of the Affair by Barbara Walker. You’re probably wondering about the bird; that’s a swan, and Barbara represents herself here as Leda. Still have questions?

Head to the exhibition

For over 25 years, Barbara Walker has been making intensely observed and empathetic figurative work which creates space for Black presence, power and belonging.

Coming to Arnolfini, major exhibition Being Here charts Barbara’s figurative work from the 1990s to today, including early paintings of her family, friends and community in her home town of Birmingham.

There’s also her monumental Turner Prize-nominated drawing series Burden of Proof, illustrating the impact on the lives of those affected by the Windrush scandal.

“I love working with people who are not used to having their voices heard,” says Barbara. “People who are often made visible in only the worst ways. I want to help make people visible in the best ways ways possible, by creating affirming images that speak of and to humanity.”

Head to Arnolfini to find out why art historian Eddie Chambers called her “One of the most talented, productive and committed artists of her generation”.

Arnolfini, 8 March to 25 May; www.arnolfini.org.uk

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STEP INSIDE A STREET ARTIST’S MIND Born Antonio Russo, Stony was a proper legend: as well as being an artist he was a racing car driver, ran a successful chain of restaurants and founded a record label, working with Kanye West and Usher among others.

Stony didn’t draw a line of separation between his life and work; his life was his masterpiece. His art shows ties to urban and street art, with twists of abstraction and excerpts from his own personal quotes and mantras. Inspired by his life and family, he lived by the motto ‘Make the most of life’, and continued to create art until he died in June 2022.

Studio 74 is understandably chuffe to be celebrating Stony’s life and legacy with an immersive, interactive retrospective which allows you to step inside

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a recreation of his studio, where he crafted his thought-provoking diarised pieces and music-inspired abstract paintings.

In the spirit of his creativity, they’ll also have an empty canvas on Stony’s easel, inviting visitors to express their thoughts and feelings, creating a collaborative artwork inspired by Stony.

From 11 March; www. studio74contemporaryart.com

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LET BLUEGRASS BUST THE BLUES Yeehaw! Police Dog Hogan’s back, both at St George’s and in this magazine (page 32) with their driving countryfolk and witty lyrics, husky ballads mourning lost loves, foot-stompers about the West Country, and full-throated, multiharmony anthems.

You’d never think they (mostly) came from London.

14 March www.stgeorges bristol.co.uk

PRIVATE HIRE EXHIBITIONS GIGS FILMING SHOOTS •

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ARTS

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SIN WHEN YOU’RE WINNING

locations, but the ones that caught our eye this year are at St George’s.

Sometimes referred to as the Banksy of poetry, though really that’s just because he doesn’t like his face being photographed, Brian Bilston has built up a huge social media following for his witty, accessible work. He’s here on 26 April, as is World Poetry Slam Champion Harry Baker with his trademark combination of playfulness, vulnerability and irrepressible hope.

On 27 April a special Bristol tribute to Benjamin Zephaniah – poet, activist and poster boy for nature, health and social justice – celebrates his work and legacy; readings include his Poem for St Pauls, performed in Bristol in 1983 for the BBC, as well as talks, personal stories an re ections from Benjamin’s friends and family members. www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk www.lyrafest.com

What’s your favourite out of the Seven Deadly Sins? We know, it’s hard to choose, they’re all great. However, Tavaziva Dance have settled on Greed for their performance at Arnolfini, where they’ll be dealing with the interplay of money, power, and religion between African and Western cultures through interpretative dance.

11 April; www.arnolfini.org.uk

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PRAISE THE LORD Why listen to just one version of Dixit Dominus when you could listen to two?

Bristol Choral Society and Bristol Ensemble will be filling Bristol Cathedral with two performances of the sacred choral work – one by Handel, one by Scarlatti. Which will you prefer?.

29 March; www.bristolchoral.co.uk

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NO FACE MASK REQUIRED Though you may end up wishing you’d worn one if you come to see There’s Something about Typhoid Mary at the TFT. Clevedon comedy maestros Living Spit transport you back to 1906, where Irish immigrant cook Mary Mallon is in high demand by high society; the only problem is that all the guests fall ill and die.

Coincidence? Mary thinks so, and she’s cooking three courses for you tonight in a toe-tapping, germsprea ing e travagan a in which the laughter is as infectious as Mary’s meals. Be sure to wash your hands before and after the show.

9-12 April www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com

Harry Baker (top) and Benjamin Zephaniah: both peddling hope through poetry, in their different ways

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CHECK OUT PETE’S LATEST STREETS Plein-air artist Peter Brown, also known as Pete the Street, is a legend in his adopted home town of Bath, where you can fin him out in all weathers painting those homogenous beige terraces. He’s also a frequent chronicler of London, Glasgow and the British coastline – anywhere where there’s plenty of life – and recently he’s succumbed to the vibrant buzz of this city.

You can see what he makes of it at his first local e hibition Bristol

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LYRA The annual Lyra Bristol Poetry Festival puts on readings, performances and slam competitions in many Bristol

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PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEATS

If you’re a dance fan you may have already heard that Impermanence has launched a new 200-seat theatre at The Mount Without, with award-winning actor Mark Rylance as its patron. The opening week has now been and gone, so keep your eyes on the website for the next events.

The opening built on the momentum of Impermanence’s Venus, a boundary-pushing production combining vivid storytelling with arresting choreography, which played to soldout audiences at the Bristol Old Vic in 2023, and will return to The Mount Without later in 2025. Can’t wait? You can catch it at BOV again this spring: 3-4 May; www.impermanence.co.uk

which he describes as “50-plus paintings of the streets, buildings and everyday life I have stumbled on across the city over the past few years, from Totterdown to Kingswood, Old Market, Easton, St Paul’s, Gloucester Road and many other areas.”

He also has a book out later in the year.

1-11 May; www.17midlandroad.co.uk

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HOLD ON TO HOPE Bristol Old Vic artistic director Nancy Medina’s first plays for the theatre – the triple award-winner Choir Boy and her latest, much admired A Good House – have been palpable hits, so best book early for The Beautiful Future is Coming. Another banger of a new play, written by

Flora Wilson Brown, it takes a fastpaced, wildly inventive look at 250 years of real and imagined history through the eyes of three couples and their connection to climate change. At heart, it’s a story about holding onto hope and humanity against all odds.

15 May-7 June www.bristololdvic.org.uk

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JOIN OUR CLUB Are you an artist, maybe new to Bristol, or rediscovering your artistic skills?

Clifton Arts Club is the largest and oldest club of its kind in the country, and you’re welcome to join. Twice every year it exhibits and sells work by its 250 members, who range from professionals to

talented amateurs who all enjoy the camaraderie and new insights found in the workshops, talks, life drawing, plein-air outings and meet-ups, all included in a membership fee of just £30. Their next exhibition runs 27 May1 June. www.cliftonarts.org

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LET HIM ENTERTAIN YOU Robbie Williams may no longer be at his performing career zenith, but what with nostalgiafest TV documentaries such as Pop Bands Forever and Robbie Williams, not to mention the just released Better Man biopic in which Take That’s cheekiest monkey is depicted by a CGI chimp, he’s very much back in the news and the popular consciousness. He’s playing ust five venues in 2025, and one of them, slightly incongruously, is Bath’s Royal Crescent. Phone torches in the air for Angels, please.

13-14 June, www.ticketmaster.co.uk

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ARTS

Ricky laughs in the face of death – you might as well – while Nick just wants payback

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DEATH BECOMES HIM “We’re all gonna die.

May as well have a laugh about it”, says Ricky Gervais. His new show Mortality, he says, “looks at the absurdities of life. And death. ring it on. he first ristol eacon ate sol out in a ash but a second has now been added; that’ll efinitely sell out too if it hasn’t already. 16-17 June.

Missed out? Never mind, because anyone who’s anyone on the comedy circuit, along with a few new legends in the making, will be popping into Beacon over the next 12 months or so. There’s Jack Dee, Sara Pascoe, Stewart Lee and Ross Noble, to name just a few – oh and Nick Mohammed, former Taskmaster loser and the reformed villain from Ted Lasso, who’s bringing back his critically acclaimed alter-ego Mr Swallow.

His new show Show Pony, he says, is “payback for everyone who didn’t come to the last tour” and promises to covers everything from Mr Swallow not having his own sitcom to not having his own sitcom, and everything in between.

As per, expect magic, music and a whole load of brand-new mistakes.

On 30 May; www.bristolbeacon.org

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DISCOVER THE PERILS OF FABULOUSNESS

How to Win Against History is a tragi-gorgeous comedy musical about Henry Cyril Paget, the Fifth Marquis of Anglesey and one of the world’s wealthiest men, who blew the lot by being too damn fabulous: we’re talking diamond frocks, lilac-dyed poodles and a metric tonne of sparkles.

His fabulous flame burned brightly but briefly, after which his outraged family destroyed every record of him that had ever existed. BOV’s not going to let that happen: everyone’s invited to his fabulous party.

19 June-12 July; www.bristololdvic.org.uk

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ARTS

None of us are getting any younger: catch (clockwise) Supergrass, Olly and Kaiser Chiefs while you still can

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COME AND FEEL YOUR AGE Want to feel old?

Playing Bristol Sounds this year are Supergrass, celebrating 30 years in the biz, and Kaiser Chiefs, who’ve apparently clocked up 20. Texas have also been around a few blocks since forming in 1986; even baby-faced Olly Murs is 40 this year. Come and see all these crusties play Canon’s Marsh amphitheatre before we all, you know, die.

25-29 June; www.bristolsounds.co.uk

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COME TO THE CABARET

If it’s a film musical then, sure as eggs is eggs, sooner or later it’ll be turned into a stage production and will find its way to Bristol Hippodrome. The latest in the breed is the multi-Tony award-winning Moulin Rouge (Best Musical, Best Director, Best Choreography etc etc) based on Baz Luhrmann’s revolutionary movie, remixed in a new musical mash-up.

Come for the high kicks and lavish designs, stay for the pyrotechnics, trapezes, glitter cannons, giant elephant, and the wild, wild energy.

26 June-9 August www.atgtickets.com

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Grayson, with signature teddy; Fran, with signature fag; David, with signature scarf

IT’S GOOD TO LISTEN It’s not just gigs an giggles at the Beacon; there’s a stellar line up of talking heads, too.

We’re giving you plenty of notice to book for the following.

Revered Bristol-based historian, writer and broadcaster David Olusoga OBE has a couple of talks lined up for us in 2025.

On 19 May he’s at St George’s, examining what history reveals about contemporary society; later, on 2 November, he’s at the Beacon with A Gun Through Time, uncovering the story of three firearms that change the worl .

Insightful social commentator, purveyor of urban cool and cultural satirist, Fran Lebowitz is s known for her pointed, forthright, unapologetically opinionated and drily witty social commentary on American life.

She’ll be live in conversation at Beacon, sharing her take on anything and everything and answering your own questions – may as well make them controversial – on 16 September.

Turner Prize-winning artist Grayson Perry is also coming to Beacon with his uniquely quirky blend of insight and creativity. In his new show Are You Good? he’ll be helping us fin out whether we’re good or quite evil, but, you know, in a fun way. Expect lots of audience participation – no one leaves unscathed – together with a few silly songs, guaranteeing you’ll emerge, blinking into the night, with your core values completely in tatters. 22 October. www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk www.bristolbeacon.org

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WHAT’S ON

21 February14 March 2025

EXHIBITIONS Until 23 March

SIAN DAVEY: THE CREATIVE BODY Coming to photography after a career in psychotherapy, Siân’s work explores themes of human connection and the complexities of everyday life. At MPF; martinparrfoundation.org

Until 27 April

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR The NHM’s touring exhibition of award-winning, thought-provoking images, at Bristol Museum and Art Gallery; bristolmuseums.org.uk PAPER WORKS RWA’s biennial exhibition celebrates paper as a surface for drawing and printmaking and as a sculptural material; rwa.org.uk PAULE VÉZELAY: LIVING LINES Clifton’s forgotten art pioneer, one of the ’s first abstract artists is celebrated in a major retrospective at RWA; rwa.org.uk

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8 February-11 May

DANIELLE DEAN: THIS COULD ALL BE YOURS! Danielle draws on archival records, film an a vertising to interrogate the way in which individuals are shaped by commercial narratives.

At Spike Island; spikeisland.org.uk DAN GUTHRIE: EMPTY ALCOVE / ROTTING FIGURE Dan works primarily with moving image to explore presentations and misrepresentations of Black Britishness, particularly in rural areas. Spike Island; spikeisland.org.uk

8 March-25 May

BARBARA WALKER: BEING HERE Intensely observed and empathetic figurative wor that creates space for Black power and belonging. t rnolfini; r olfi i.or .uk

SHOWS

Until 22 February

THE COMEDY OF ERRORS & THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR A double whammy of Bard farce, with all kinds of comical

Bourne to dance: Swan Lake glides back into the Hippodrome

misunderstandings and quite a bit of lewdness, as reimagined by BOVTS at The Station; oldvic.ac.uk

piece together her life; story by story, person by person. At Alma Tavern; almatavernandtheatre.co.uk

Until 29 March

25 February-1 March

THE WINTER’S TALE Heidi Vaughan directs the Bard’s story of jealousy and redemption; see page 36. tobaccofactorytheatres.com

23 February

JARMAN In a journey from Dungeness to Soho and into the heart of one of our most iconoclastic artists, Derek Jarman is brought back to us as a passionate, daring reminder of the courage it takes to truly live. At Alma Tavern; almatavernandtheatre.co.uk

24 February-1 March

HAIRSPRAY Big-hearted, big-haired Tracy Turnblad and her friends dance their way into history in their quest to fight intolerance an racism once again; Hippodrome, atgtickets.com

25 February

FLUFF s luff navigates her way through her most treasured and darkest memories, she desperately needs to

BANGERS It’s club night and the tracks are spinning. Two headliners crossfade between stories of love, sex, and the power of music at Bristol Old Vic; bristololdvic.org.uk

28 February

LEARNING TO FLY Storyteller James Rowland returns with a mix of theatre, comedy and music to tell the story of a friendship made when he was a lonely teenager with the scary old lady who lived in the spooky house on his street. It’s about connection, no matter what the obstacles; TFT, tobaccofactorytheatres.com

1 March

PIECE OF WORK eturning home after his first stint away, storyteller James receives a letter that exploded his life. The tour becomes a search: for the person who sent it, for a sense of home, and to maybe save a life. At TFT, tobaccofactorytheatres.com

WHAT’S ON 12 March-5 April

ROMEO & JULIET The usual Verona shizzle – rich, feuding families, intense, forbidden passion, the violence that tears young love apart – but with rap, soul and R&B. BOV; bristololdvic.org.uk

COMEDY Ongoing

CLOSER EACH DAY All the drama of Succession. The grit of EastEnders. The rumpy-pumpy of Sex Education. Not remotely like Slow Horses; the world’s longest-running improvised comedy soap continues at Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com BRISTOL IMPROV THEATRE For the full programme see improvtheatre.co.uk

21 February 4-8 March

THE SPANKING GODDESS & OTHER DISCARDED TALES A romp through the untold myths of the Celts as storyteller Clare Murphy brings us the wild women who never made the cut, from the shapeshifters to the queens and warriors, badass deities, and feral fighters. ot for the faint-hearte .

Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com BLACKBIRD HOUR “This love word. Do people just use it when they feel sorry?” A visceral and moving exploration of a queer Black woman’s call to arms for loving oneself when love has made itself scarce; BOV; bristololdvic.org.uk SWAN LAKE Swoon! It’s Matthew Bourne, back again with his feathered youths.

Everyone should see this at least once. Hippodrome, atgtickets.com

7-9 March

THE NAMES, THE NAMES ACH Smith’s one-act show of scenes, songs and souvenirs from the hugely successful Bristol Old Vic Production Up The Feeder, Down The Mouth, with previously unheard dockers’ stories.

Alma Tavern; almatavernandtheatre.co.uk

12-22 March

TOP: We reckon Oscar would have gone Wilde for Ncuti’s Earnest MIDDLE: What’s love got to do with it? Blackbird at BOV

BOTTOM: We’d like to lounge about all day in Sian Davey’s garden, too, but someone’s got to write these pages

JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT X-Factor winner Joe McElderry steps into Pharaoh’s shoes in the current tour of the Rice/Lloyd-Webber evergreen. Great tunes, of course.

Hippodrome, atgtickets.com

EDDIE KADI: LET ME LAND The debut tour from one of comedy’s fastest rising stars. At Redgrave; redgravetheatre.com RHOD GILBERT & THE GIANT GRAPEFRUIT Dark, passionate and way too personal, this is vintage Gilbert, squeezing every last drop from life’s curveballs. At Bristol Beacon; bristolbeacon.org CHRIS CANTRILL: EASILY SWAYED A reluctant adventurer and an unlikely fellowship converge in a tale of an overdue reunion gone awry at Alma Tav; almatavernandtheatre.co.uk

21-22 February

THE VINYL COUNTDOWN Meet the music legends you never knew you knew, as Dan Lees brings to life the bizarre record covers he’s found in charity shops. Great show title. Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com

22 February

ALEXANDRA HADDOW: THIRD PARTY The news has been chaotic for so long it feels like we’re running on empty. Should we all just embrace societal collapse and enter our last days of Rome era? In a world that constantly demands we pick a side, is there a third option? Alma Tavern Theatre; almatavernandtheatre.co.uk MATT BRAGG HAS NOTHING WRONG WITH HIM We’ll be the judge of that when this ‘cross between Jack Dee and Frank Skinner in mods’ clothing’ comes to Redgrave; redgravetheatre.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 25

WHAT’S ON

JOEL DOMMETT: HAPPY IDIOT With glamorous tales from behind the camera and less glamorous anec otes of first-time fatherhoo oel remains a charming e hauste happy i iot; bristololdvic.org.uk

25 February

JAZZ EMU: KNIGHT FEVER Jazz’s band The Cosmique Perfectión bagged the coveted headline slot at The Royal Variety how; at long last a chance to secure a his long-covete nighthoo But there’s bad news; recent criminal allegations are threatening to snatch the prize from before his eyes...

At Redgrave; redgravetheatre.com

26 February-1 March

FURIOZO: MAN LOOKING FOR TROUBLE pun -roc come y clown show about to ic masculinity starring an aggressive hooligan with a giant heart. You will love him. You will hate him. ou will e perience the presence of the beast. As Furiozo would say: Live fast; die. At Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com

© ERLEND HA ARBERG, WILDLIFE PHOTOGR APHER OF THE YEAR

23 February

27 February

ANIA MAGLIANO: FORGIVE ME, FATHER ou now when you’re on a night out an you’re interrupte by a random girl who insists on telling you all her secrets magine that but she has a microphone. She’s the writer for melia imol enberg we learn – upsetting news for those of us who always thought Chicken Shop Date was for real. erforming rts entre 1532bristol.co.uk TOM STADE: RISKY BUSINESS t’s tric y to navigate the tightrope of to ay’s times but om’s approaching it with his usual gusto at Redgrave; redgravetheatre.com MR CHONKERS t’s a solo show. moc ery an celebration of performance. It’s terrible. An important waste of your time. It’s great. Please strongly consider all of the above information before coming. Alma Tavern; almatavernandtheatre.co.uk

28 February

DAN TIERNAN: STOMP his show isn’t li e’ being trappe in a basement with a crazed lunatic yelling into your face; that’s precisely what it is sai hortle. lma Tavern; almatavernandtheatre.co.uk

26 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

28 February-1 March

CHLOE PETTS: HOW YOU SEE ME, HOW YOU DON’T Contemplating her newly found trolls ol ly foun school bullies an e cellent relationship with her foo tech teacher hloe brings her tra emar la ishness to erforming Arts Centre to tell us who she really is. 1532bristol.co.uk

1 March

KATIE NORRIS: FARM FATALE The debut solo show from an agricultural icon li ely to cause delight or distress to anyone who becomes involved with her or her livestoc ; lma avern; almatavernandtheatre.co.uk

2 March

MARCUS BRIGSTOCKE: VITRUVIAN MANGO hat are men for arcus thin s they might still serve some useful function and hopes the new tour will resolve the issue in a nonpatriarchal progressive sort of way.

PS Da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man is the image of the ideal male form. arcus’ itruvian ango is similar but sweeter softer an seasonally available. BOV; bristololdvic.org.uk MATT FORDE: END OF AN ERA TOUR inally the has a new government. That can only mean one thing new people to ta e the piss out of. att ma es this his personal mission at tobaccofactorytheatres.com

TOP: Don’t let the NHM’s Wildlife Photography show be the one that got away MIDDLE: We see a little silhouetto of a Laibach

BOTTOM: Do men still have a purpose? Marcus Brigstocke likes to think so

WHAT’S ON 3 March

THE WOMEN WHO BUILT BRISTOL Female stand-up comedy club What The Frock! returns for just one night to help ane uffus launch her new book The Women Who Built Bristol: Volume Three with help from comics Dani John and Ada Campe. At Bristol Old Vic, bristololdvic.org.uk

9 March

FUNNY BONES ussell owar an chums o their annual fundraising thang at BOV for Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity; bristololdvic.org.uk CELYA AB: OF ALL PEOPLE Celya is back to tackle the big three: beauty, money and the void, in her most personal show yet. ; tobaccofactorytheatres.com

14 March

DAVID O’DOHERTY: TINY PIANO MAN The dishevelled Irish prince of cheap eBay keyboards tries to make you feel alive with a new pageant of laughter, song and occasionally getting up from a chair; at Bristol Beacon, bristolbeacon.org ALEX MITCHELL: TICS TOWARDS PUFFECTION The Britain’s Got Talent finalist is an autistic comic who uses selfeprecating humour to re ect on life’s most ifficult sub ects. ome and help him be the best version of himself; Redgrave; redgravetheatre.com

16 March

LOUISE LEIGH: DISTRACTED he ristol-base wannabe cool mum brings a show pac e with jokes about midlife, raising teens and reclaiming your youth, to Alma Tavern; almatavernandtheatre.co.uk

GIGS Ongoing

BRISTOL BEACON Daily gigs, encompassing orchestral, fol worl in ie a an less easily classifiable shi le; for full programme see bristolbeacon.org ST GEORGE’S BRISTOL lassical worl fol tal s more at St George’s; stgeorgesbristol.co.uk

25 February

LAIBACH No, not an easygoing bunch of small elsh people; we’re in lovenian and Yugoslav avante-garde territory here as the group associate with

the industrial, martial, and neoclassical genres bring their sound to Trinity; trinitybristol.org.uk

27 February

ALEX CLARKE/EDDIE GRIPPER QUARTET ar -bop an feelgoo swing at the en from the awar -winning a quartet; henandchicken.com

28 February

WALDO’S GIFT force in the new wave of experimental music, Waldo’s comes to Trinity, having previously built a cult following at their allimaufry residency. trinitybristol.org.uk

3 March

MIKE nown for his introspective subtly profound rhymes that explore grief, family, and identity, the rapper’s new Burning Desire record is his biggest to date: both in length, and artistically. Check him out at Trinity; trinitybristol.org.uk

4 March

MACHINE GIRL ctually it’s two la s ean elly and Matt Stephenson, bringing their high-energy yet surreal breakcore, igital har core an footwor from the future apocalypse to Trinity; trinitybristol.org.uk

6 March

ELI LEV he rising singer-songwriter is ma ing the worl a smaller place one song at a time, bringing lyrics and melodies for everyday enlightenment. Bristol Folk House, bristolfolkhouse.co.uk

7 March

TOP: Romeo & Juliet get the Hamilton treatment (sort of)

BOTTOM: That Split the Dealer’s got some really dodgy-looking mates

The London bluegrassers are back; im owling’s always goo for a uote so we i a thing on page . stgeorgesbristol.co.uk

JOSHUA BURNSIDE he elfast singer-songwriter incorporates Irish folk, Scottish fol roc mericana worl music sound collage and electronica into his sound; Trinity; trinitybristol.org.uk

NUBIYAN TWIST The band have embarked on a fresh musical o yssey with their vibrant fourth album Find Your Flame, with new elements of patois an r b; at Trinity; trinitybristol.org.uk

THE MARY WALLOPERS Dundalk’s greatest Irish folk ban we’re not sure how stiff the competition is – comes to O2. academymusicgroup.com

14 March

12 March

SPLIT THE DEALER The Reading artist is here to tear up he change with an a renalinefuelled escape from reality; bandsintown.com

13 March

POLICE DOG HOGAN

28 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

NIEVE ELLA The West Midlands singersongwriter brings her wit an electrifying stage presence to Trinity; trinitybristol.org.uk

OTHER Ongoing

BRISTOL FILM FESTIVAL Look out for BFF’s series of space an sci-fi screenings at the e he Curious’s the Planetarium: as the lights dim, each movie is heralded

by a tour of the solar system. The programme inclu es the th anniversary of anime Ghost in the Shell eb whose animation an realism went on to in uence such major movies as The Matrix; bristolfilm sti l.com

24 February

NTLIVE: THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST tarring cuti atwa in a reimagining of Oscar Wilde’s ‘trivial comedy for serious people’, beamed live from the National Theatre in London to Redgrave; redgravetheatre.com

26 February

SEAN CONWAY: ENDURANCE Sean is one of the most accomplished ultra-endurance athletes on the planet; join him at Redgrave to hear about his journey from miserable school portrait photographer to worl recor holder; redgravetheatre.com n

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HOT DIGGERTY DOGS

Our favourite bluegrassers are coming back to Bristol. Yeehaw!, as they probably never say Words by Deri Robins

N

© RNLI-NATHAN WILLIAMS

eed a bit of unruly bluegrass in your life? Craving husky ballads and full-throated, anthems? You’ve come to the right place, because Police Dog Hogan are back at St George’s next month with their ever-so-slightly ironic take on country music.

You have to be a bit ironic if you’re a country ban from on on. hat sai the line-up oes inclu e one bona fi e American member, in the form of banjo-playing Guardian columnist Tim Dowling. If you’re only buying a ticket because you’re a fan of Tim’s roll omestic wee ly musings that’s fine because you’re guarantee a fabulous time anyway. These Police Dogs are a total treat; they’re folksy and funny, energetic and uplifting; their harmonies are sensational, their lyrics witty, their melodies rousing, and all in they’ll brighten up your miserable little life no end. he first time we spo e to im was in . he ban ha release three albums by then (there are now seven) and were gigging widely, selling tea towels in the interval – a full decade before it occurred to asis to og bran e ironing boar covers an clothes pegs. e ha a further catch up in an because he’ committe the big mista e of being helpful and entertaining on both previous occasions we decided we’d hound him once again ahead of PHD’s latest gig at St George’s.

“There’s actually a rare metabolic disorder called PDH but that’s still how we abbreviate ourselves”

MUSIC Tim! It’s been a minute. Hopefully you’ll have forgotten all about our previous interviews so won’t spot that I’m asking startlingly similar questions

Hi Deri! I hope my answers are startlingly similar too.

It’s great to see the Dogs back in Bristol. Is that what you call yourself for short? Or do you prefer PDH, although it sounds a bit like a disorder?

There actually is a rare metabolic disorder called PDH (pyruvate ehy rogenase eficiency but that’s still how we abbreviate ourselves. think we tried ‘The Hogan’ for a while, but it didn’t stick.

KIndly bring us up to speed regarding where PDH is now

e’re touring to promote a new album Lightning Strike, which we recorded over a weekend at Middle Farm studios in Devon. The whole thing was one irect to -inch with of all us playing in the same room live, essentially. It forced us to up our game a bit.

Can you sum up the band’s style in five words?

Pop with the wrong instruments.

ABOVE: Original co-founder James Studholme (middle), ruefully wondering why Tim gets all the female attention; RIGHT: That’s Tim; he plays steel and electric guitar as well as banjo now

What have been some recent highlights or lowlights?

We played a lot of weird gigs under pandemic restrictions. For one venue we had to play two shows back-to-back, to exactly 46 people each time, with a half-hour cleaning brea in between. uring the first gig tol a o e which fell completely at an out of principle tol it again to the secon au ience e actly the same way an let it fall at again. hen tol them the first au ience love it.

How has your banjo playing evolved over the years?

f it has evolve it’s mostly evolve si eways in a ition to the ban o now also play a bit of lap steel an electric guitar. ’m a master of neither but it means get to play on songs where ban o woul simply not be tolerated.

Are you still flogging the tea towels?

h yes we still o tea towels. e’ve also move into very posh mugs. e trie ey chains but we got the si e wrong for our first run they were miniature to the point of invisibility.

Do all the band members have roughly the same musical tastes, or are there artistic disagreements?

Our tastes are broad, overlapping and mostly well tolerated. We tend to save our bitterest disagreements for arranging our own songs. People have very strong feelings about who should play what and when.

How do you balance time spent on the road with column writing and family life?

’ve ha to write a few columns in the bac of a van rolling up the but overall we’ve all struc a balance with the number of live ates we

34 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

MUSIC can manage in a year – somewhere between 20 and 30. Any more than that and our families begin to push back; any less, and the whole thing loses momentum.

What’s the best thing anyone has said about you?

A subeditor once said, “He writes to length and he’s a good speller”.

I may have it on my tombstone.

What’s your most regrettable habit?

Refusing to leave my bed until I’ve done that day’s Wordle.

What are your ultimate hopes for the band?

Fifteen years ago we decided to prioritise good experiences over success, which we imagined would elude us anyway. We’ve had more success than we could have dreamt of back then, but when a new opportunity arises, we still ask ourselves the same question: will it be a good experience?

After that we ask: how much do we get paid?

You once featured Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall on tambourine.

At the risk of sounding all Bonzo Dog, what other guests would you love to feature?

I think we’d like to get Delia Smith playing the spoons. Actually we wanted Hugh to play the spoons, but he said he didn’t know how. Turned out he didn’t know how to play the tambourine either, so I don’t see what ifference it woul have ma e.

What did you want to be when you were young? And what do you want to be when you grow up?

When I was young I wanted to be a cartoonist, which I actually was for a few years, but I couldn’t make it pay enough. After a while I decided being a failed writer was preferable to being a failed cartoonist – lower Hopefully one day PHD will be so big they’ll be able to travel by limo rather than train. Every purchase of a souvenir tea towel will help them reach this goal

overheads – and eventually I found a way to make writing pay. My next goal is to get into competitive jigsaw puzzling, but I may have left it too late now.

What part of your working life do you most enjoy?

Writing can be lonely and pretty frustrating, but there are rare moments of total concentration, when it seems to be happening by itself. I try to enjoy that when it happens.

What should you be really doing instead of answering these questions?

Actually I’m supposed to be coming up with questions for an interview.

But answering questions is marginally easier.

What would you most like to be doing?

Rehearsing with the band, in somebody’s kitchen We’ve read about your new (actual) dog in your column. How’s that going?

She’s going through a troublesome adolescent phase, but right now she’s asleep at my feet, so I’m afraid to move.

Tell us something about Tim Dowling we don’t already know.

You want me on your pub quiz team.

What are you doing after finishing this Q&A?

I have a fair bit of work to do, but at this point I may just twiddle my thumbs until lunch time. n Police Dog Hogan are at St George’s on 13 March Tickets from £10; www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 35

, EXIT PURSUED

BY A BEAR

xxxxxx

The play containing the most famous stage direction in Shakespeare comes to the TFT this month. But obviously there’s a lot more to The Winter’s Tale than a homicidal ursine . . .

XX I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

S

hakespeare at the Tobacco Factory was once such a mainstay of the theatre’s programme that it constituted a mini-festival. It was so well-known that audiences simply called it by its initials: SATTF, later just STF. For 21 years, notably during the golden age of director Andrew Hilton, the fame of its repertory seasons extended far beyond Bristol. National critics oc e annually to to immerse themselves in the beautifully pare -bac pro uctions in which the emphasis was firmly on the spo en wor rather than costumes an scenery filing glowing reviews which must have made other theatres fret that their own productions were overly fussy.

In recent years, while Shakespeare has not been entirely missing from the programme, it’s been far less of a thing, so we were excited to learn that the theatre’s AD Heidi Vaughan would be directing a new production of The Winter’s Tale this spring, with Bristol actor Alice Barclay playing Hermione. Over to you, Alice...

Alice, please tell us a bit about some of the theatre productions which made an early impression on you

I saw The Crucible at the National Theatre on a school trip, and it blew me away entirely; I’d never seen anything like it before, it was breathta ing. he first ha espeare play saw was Measure for Measure at The Hen and Chicken on North Street, on another school trip. I think it was directed by Andrew Hilton, though I didn’t know that at the time. he set was ust one table that they use in lots of ifferent ways an it was so intimate and very powerful. I remember my English teacher bubbling up with excitement at the interval and saying to me “they’re taking such care with the WORDS”. I loved it.

We know you’ve done TV as well as stage – do you enjoy both of them equally?

Until recently my work had been almost entirely theatre but I’ve done some lovely TV jobs over the past few years and enjoy screen acting very much. fin it liberating in lots of ways because you can be so naturalistic and the camera sees so much detail. The imaginative work is the same whether you’re acting for a camera or on a stage, you just have to adjust the scale of your performance.

The wonderful thing about a theatre production is that you are part of a company and you’re together for a longer stretch of time. I always fin the repetition of a show every night brings new things constantly so I never tire of it, and of course you’re in the same room as the audience when you tell the story and nothing can beat that.

“It’s thrilling to be so close to the audience; they’re absolutely part of the story”

THEATRE Which productions have you been proudest of?

There are some shows that feel special because you know they’ve landed with an audience. I’ve been involved in some large scale shows like War Horse, Swallows and Amazons and The Grinning Man, with puppetry, music and lots of ensemble work, as well as a three-person promena e play in a at in lifton with an au ience so close to me could hear them breathe.

I’ve loved all of the Shakespeare shows I’ve done. It always feels like such a gift to speak such extraordinary words that have been around for centuries an fin the resonances in the stories that transcen time.

We’re thrilled that Shakespeare is back at the TFT – we have fond memories of Andrew Hilton’s productions. What makes the theatre so ideal for Shakespeare?

Andrew Hilton’s legacy is so huge, and what he did with Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory was a wonderful thing. He’s had a real impact on Bristol, and his productions certainly shaped my experience of Shakespeare. I never worked with him directly, but I was in the STF’s final two pro uctions irecte by li abeth reestone who brilliantly continued Andrew’s work of directing in such a way that actors and audience can connect with each other, the words and the story.

It’s always thrilling to be able to play Shakespeare in the round and to feel so close to the audience. They’re absolutely part of the story.

The space at TFT is a blank canvas for the imagination so we can invite the audience to experience and create this story with us. There’s also something about the space that makes you really focus in on listening to the words, which I love.

Alice in Winter land; rehearsing with Felix Hayes

THEATRE

Alice in rehearsal: “Acting is partly ‘doing’, being active and partly being receptive to noticing how things impact on you”

Can we expect a similarly pared back, intimate production of The Winter’s Tale?

There’s a beautiful design for this production that is very present and powerful, but that also allows us lots of space to play and tell the story with the words and the connections we make with each other. It’s going to be a space which offers lots of richness in terms of the worl of the play and the life of the characters and it will ignite the imagination of the audience. What’s amazing about Shakespeare and the space at TFT is that the story can be intimate and epic at the same time.

Shakespeare had such a beautiful understanding of humanity and his plays offer huge insight into the way we e ist in this worl now.

Sometimes it feels as though he could see into the future as well as understanding the past and present, in a way that is staggering. The Winter’s Tale is a play about friendship, love, community, family, jealousy and loyalty. It’s about disorder in the natural world and inside the mind.

Most importantly it’s a play about hope, resilience and forgiveness.

Other than providing the most famous stage direction in Shakespeare, what is the significance of the bear?

The Winter’s Tale is one of the least well-known of Shakespeare’s plays – why do you think that is?

I’m not sure why it’s not a well-known play as it has all the elements of a fantastic story. I think we’re very often conditioned by our education, so maybe it’s time for some lesser-known plays to be added to the set text lists, or produced in versions that are aimed at young people. That way the plays would get more of an airing and feel more accessible and the world would be a richer place.

We’re threading the image of the bear throughout the play, which is such an interesting presence in the story, from the comforting teddy that a child might cling to, to the deadly animal which kills for its own survival. As in many of Shakespeare’s plays, the natural world is very present in The Winter’s Tale – the energy of the seasons and the weather accompanies the characters all the way through. I think the bear is something that reminds us of our place in the natural world and of the preciousness and precariousness of human life.

What are the main challenges when putting on this play?

What was the key, for you, for portraying Hermione?

It’s a play with everything in it. There’s psycho-drama, tragedy and comedy; there are private domestic scenes between friends, and individual internal turmoil that is turned inside out and shared with the audience; there’s a public trial which calls on Apollo as well as an onstage storm, a time shift of 16 years and a huge sheep-shearing festival. The challenges are many, but we’re in incredibly safe hands with Heidi Vaughan as our director and a fabulous creative team.

What are the main themes of the play, and do they have any contemporary resonance?

There are so many things in this play that resonate with our lives now.

“Shakespeare had such a beautiful understanding of humanity; his l s o r u i si t i to t way we exist in this world now” 38 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

The key is always to explore the words and the relationships, without bringing any preconceptions to the work. You have to look at the individual moments she has with everyone around her, the words and the images she chooses to use and then notice how those words make you feel. Like many things in life, I think that acting is partly ‘doing’, being active, and partly being receptive to noticing how things impact on you. fin that the characters play always teach me things an leave their imprint on me, so I’m delighted to have a chance to play such an incre ibly resilient compassionate strong an ignifie woman as Hermione.

Finally, for anyone who’s never seen the play, what should they expect?

Come along and see for yourselves… we promise you a compelling story full of emotions we all recognise. There will be laughter, music, dancing and maybe just a little bit of magic. n The Winter’s Tale runs until 29 March at Tobacco Factor Theatres www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com

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HUMAN LANDSCAPES Let Colin take you by the hand and lead you through the streets of Bristol, where the media rarely goes Words and pics by Colin Moody

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BRISTOL HEROES

ome with me now for eight slices of urban widescreen experience all over town, away from the centre. Yep, I’ve read those articles in The Guardian too, about Bristol beyon orth treet. o let’s ow super wi escreen an see what we can see, in some places the media doesn’t always go.

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Stop, point and see that every part of this city looks good in widescreen, and I shoot people where lives intersect, so I’m calling this Heroes ‘Human Landscapes’.

What’s it like going to work by train in Bedminster? Well, it’s a lot more colourful now. Upfest have just let Paul Monsters and Lucas Antics loose on the tunnels down here, and the space is transformed.

Wobbly animals and geometric oscillations will now share your commute, and the way the colours carefully collaborated when they were designing the whole piece will make you smile. Alex Lucas has hidden lots of little animals on the trains; frogs on skateboards, some low down so the kids are gonna giggle. Paul has hidden the rail logo inside his unique colouramascape, and like the trains at the platforms they will feel like these are coming towards you or departing away.

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hen o you now you have finally become part of the scene s it when your work appears on the walls of Kino Café? Maybe the rnolfini has been see ing out urban e plorers for a new street art showcase, and they just happened to see your wall?

I’ve been trying for years to get people to appreciate tagging and wil style graffiti because for me it’s free e pression. a e this scene for example: it’s OK, is it, for Brutalist architectural blocks to dot all our inner city space, creating negative cultural space, while the spray briga e is vilifie ell maybe the compoun effect of all those tags and wild letter forms tells you a lot more: who is here, who’s died, what cultures are owing past this space. n how less brutal that architecture feels when you can see who’s been around, and for some of us a scene like this is comparable to the highest art, like top box at the opera for Puccini.

But to answer that initial question, you know you have become part of the scene when your own car stops being a car and becomes part of the expression.

When brutal becomes fruitful.

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BRISTOL HEROES 3

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Let’s head south again.

East Street. Here, Bristol Samba has come to the end of the Lantern ara e an roc e up at the ba tooth of the loc e -off shopping arcade. St Catherine’s Place. One lonely tagger stands like a king up above the party, and we all come to pay respect.

East Street: a street so neglected it’s not even on Google Streetview.

Only the dilapidated back loading bays of a forgotten shopping arcade come up. But there is life here, culture – we just have to be able to see it. At night, the sky above is lit with strange red dwarf stars that on closer inspection reveal themselves to be clusters of crane lights. Here’s hoping they on’t ust buil buy-to-let ats an push out all the locals.

Generations have lived and worked this street, a high street older than the city of Bristol itself.

Here’s how we don’t want it to go: “Ooh I love that café, really authentic and friendly. And great prices.”

“Have you tried that new place? Their arancini balls are to die for!”

“Oh yum, lovely. Bit pricey but soooo worth it…”

“Hey did you hear? That amazing café might shut. They put all the rents up. Something to do with landlords for these businesses hearing that people’s average spend on the street has skyrocketed and lots of the original businesses can’t make that work.”

“Oh that’s a shame. I kind of liked it…”

So as I gaze into the glow of those crane lights, I’m hoping it’s gonna be ifferent here.

I’ve been shooting in the pits at festivals for a few years now, and it is a unique human landscape. Lots of people in there are my friends – we share tips, get each other work – but every now and then it can get a bit crowded. It can be harder to get the shot you need when there are enough telephotos in ow that if you strappe them en to en on a camera I reckon you’d be able to shoot Neil’s bootprint on the moon.

But as a human space it’s fascinating. When Martin Parr is there he’s always shooting the other way to fin very him moments in the crow .

We are blessed to have so many ways of seeing the world, and it’s almost a show in itself watching these bo ies bob an ow li e musical notes. ice to ta e a moment to pause an re ect li e this

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photographer. Here’s to the shooters, fin ing the angles ma ing it wor .

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“Please sir, can I have some more photographs?”

Coming back to the centre now for a Victorian shoot at the ss Great Britain. If these four photographers poole their s ills they coul offer you the full surrounded feeling of this small… I think the word we still use is ‘urchin’.

We’re so lucky to have so much living industrial heritage all around our city centre. I’m hoping that if we can blend that with our new crowds we might be able to create something magical. I’m imagining an intercultural historical community vibe blending with this picturepostcard wonder space, and one day the urchin having a camera of their own and showing the world what their view is.

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Guy on the right be like… “Hmmm; might have a pot noodle later”.

I’m guessing police anti-terror training by Temple Meads here is not so terrifying.

When people ask me why I still love Bristol, the number one for me is the cultural intersectionality that will, I hope, keep moments like this in the realm of training, never practice.

Do yourself a favour. If you have not already go discover Easton. Or St Paul’s. Amazing cultural spaces.

“I’m hoping that we can blend our living industrial heritage with our new crowds to create something magical”

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BRISTOL HEROES

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“Bristol: a city of cities, cultures within cultures, with no border police at the edge of the spaces”

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Bristol, a city of cities, cultures within cultures.

There are no border cultural police at the edge of these spaces asking for your heritage credentials, but every now and then, you turn down a side road and there the crowd is dancing to that homemade blend of drum and bass and community. ou won’t fin it on any wal ing tours an it’s not in the guide book. St Paul’s here, a place where you never truly ever dance solo.

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Let’s end where we began, full circle back to Bedminster. Paul and the Lucas Antics crew here, with their dog, having a wonderwall moment.

You can turn the picture sideways if you want to see it like that. And in that I’m suggesting you look around a little ifferently from now on when you are navigating the human city.

Notice who is in the corner; they might not be on your radar yet, but they are also a citizen of this wide expanse of expression and energy.

Find your blend.

Bring a friend.

Colin Moody; content creation, online images Twitter @moodycolin; Instagram @colinmoodyphotography www.colinmoodyphotography.wordpress.com

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EMILY & DAN ROSS STORYSMITH BOOKS

rendered here in unsparing and unconventional detail. How do they connect to The Scandinavian Star? Why is this where the story starts? When can we know more?!

Reading a book shouldn’t feel like a race. There again, on the other hand...

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ew feelings delight a bookseller more than that of absolutely galloping through a clutch of amazing books in very quick succession; the dizzying sense that everything you read will not only be digestibly brief, but will also be incredibly satisfying. We’re only too aware that it doesn’t always work out that way, so for this issue, to maybe inspire a similar sprint of your own, we’re dedicating space to three great new books that also happen to be very short (one of them is a smidge over 200 pages, one of them is even comfortably under 100). With the starter pistol well and truly cocked, here’s what we’ve been reading…

Money To Burn

by Asta Olivia Nordenhof (trans. Caroline Waight) You couldn’t pitch a more ‘us’ novel if you trie . he first of a seven- (seven!) part series of novels centred around a real-life naval isaster namely a fire on the cruise ship The Scandinavian Star which killed 159 people. his first instalment in the septology is deliciously scant on cruise ship content aside from some hardcore business background (you will be irretrievably captured by the precise mechanics of who owns the boat), and focuses instead on the seemingly unrelated story of Kurt and Maggie, a couple with a deeply troubled marriage,

Hunchback by Saou Ichikawa (trans. Polly Barton) An absolute bolt of a novel. Saou Ichikawa lives with a congenital muscle disorder, as does Shaka, the main character in her debut novel. Shaka lives in a plush care home paid for by her parents, from where she narrates the minute happenings of her daily life – the dropped morsels of food that take her incredible time an effort to retrieve from the oor the processes and maintenance associated with her mucus-clearing apparatus, and the erotic short stories she secretly writes for an online audience.

But once one of her care workers admits that he knows about all her secretive online activities, their relationship inevitably changes.

Polly Barton’s spiky translation delivers endless dark entertainment from Ichikawa’s original Japanese text, so many surprising turns of ippant language and visceral shocks with such precision and brevity.

The Message was released in the US late last year, at which point it became an international tal ing point - fiery interviews thinkpieces, column inches all followe . ow that it’s finally released in this country, we can read it without the noise and appreciate what a deft work of non-fiction it is.

Coates set out to write a book about writing, but somehow the project complicated itself and saw him travel to three ifferent areas of con ict a ar South Caroline, Palestine – and investigate what power stories can have over our interpretation of real-life events. An impassioned and eloquent ode to words themselves, necessarily coloured by the trappings of our deeply troubled collective moment.

We try not to be competitive about reading. We know that the end-ofyear total number of books you’ve rea can be as easily in ate by short books and graphic novels as it can be undercooked by dense doorstoppers. But there is something particularly enjoyable about a sudden rush of amazing books that makes you want to keep on going right up until you reach the point of exhaustion. And when the material is so delightful, who are we to discourage you all from a little sprint of your own? On your marks…

“An impassioned and eloquent ode to words themselves, coloured by the trappings of our deeply troubled collective moment”

The Message

by Ta-Nehisi Coates We pride ourselves on uncovering the low- ying gems that you might have missed, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enthuse about an established talent once in a while.

Visit Storysmith at 36 North Street, Bedminster; 0117 953 7961 www.storysmithbooks.com www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 47

DONGNAE Say hi to Bokman’s classy little sister

Words by Deri Robins Photos by www.benrobinsphotography.uk

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RESTAURANT

e know what you’re thinking. It takes f you’ve ever yearne to avenge yourself on a ellyfish ongnae has us twenty-odd years to run a review of the perfect solution, serving salty strips of the pesky cnidarian in a salad a Korean restaurant in Bristol, then a with pork hock and crab. Thin apple slices make a taco-like cradle for second one comes along at the same time the seafood and meat, and just when you’re thinking oh, this is nice and – or at least just a few months later. refreshing you fin yourself mugge by its pungent mustar y sauce.

But this was always on the cards.

A pear and chrysanthemum muchin is milder. “Pears are considered When we visited Bokman last September very boujie, in Korea”, says the informative samurai. “They’re often we learned that husband-and-wife given as gifts on unar ew ear . he chrysanthemum leaves are team Kyu Jeong Jeon and Duncan Robertson were about to open a mildly grassy and herbaceous, with a slightly bitter aftertaste. second site called Dongnae on Chandos Road. Dongnae translates as While both starters are light, things get heavier in the best possible ‘neighbourhood’, and they couldn’t have bagged themselves a better one: sense with the arrival of plates from the charcoal grill. If you’re a meatthis street has long been foo ie central fille with the in of restaurants eater you’ll fall like a fox on a dustbin on the samgyeopsal (grilled pork people inclu e on buc et lists. ou’ll fin ilson’s ittle ollows an belly) and eonyang bulgogi (marinated thinly-sliced beef). others here, and even when a great one closes – Wilks, say, or Otira, which he slippery portions laugh in the face of my evel chopstic s ills. once stood where Dongnae is now – there’s never time for the locals to I attempt to bundle the meat, along with dollops of accompanying dips throw a proper strop because a new one always comes – sesame, pickled chillies, fermented shrimp, baetchu along and becomes absorbed into the mix. Success kimchi – into little parcels made from leaves; one DINING DETAILS attracts success; it’s a kind of culinary osmosis. piece pings away from my less-than-pincer-like grip f you now an love o man you’ll fin ongnae Dongnae, 5-7 Chandos Road; 0117 302 and sails merrily over the shelf back into the kitchen. both reassuringly familiar an interestingly ifferent. 1034; www.dongnae.co.uk Meanwhile, the samurai is geeking out over the sweet, Familiar, because the welcome is still just as friendly, peppery kkaenip leaves he’s spied among the greenery.

Opening hours Wed-Sat 12-3pm, 5-11pm the atmosphere equally laidback and unpretentious.

“Where do you get them? I’ve looked everywhere!”

Price Set menu around £65pp; à-la-carte ifferent in that while o man cheerfully embraces plates £3.5-£32; puds £4.5 he tells a pink-haired chef. “I’ve even tried growing its Stokes Croft grunginess, Dongnae is notably more Veggie? There’s an alternative vegan menu them from seed”. Thank goodness we’re in food-nerd grown-up minimal an elegant. here’s more finesse Drinks Low-intervention wines a specialty Bristol, I think, glancing around, as opposed to, say, in the cooking, too, elevating Bokman’s street-food the Gorbals.

Service Helpful and knowledgeable authenticity by several notches. If Bokman is a casual A sizzling crab bibimbap arrives in its clay pot, The look says cool and Friday night date, Dongnae is an anniversary supper. Atmosphere with plenty of scorched nurungji at the bottom minimal, the vibe says friendly and relaxed It’s also more spacious and comfy here, with chairs and around the edges to enjoy. The crab lends a that have actual backs, and a long counter so close wonderful sweetness to a complex dish packed with to the kitchen that you can lean over and annoy the chefs. The menu avour an te ture. ur final choice is the five-year oen ang stew with is longer too, with both à la carte and set options. The latter might be tofu; admittedly ‘stew’ and ‘tofu’ aren’t the sexiest words in the culinary a good shout if you’re new to Korean cuisine, because otherwise you’ll lexicon, but I feel that if someone’s devoted half a decade to making miso have to stop every few minutes to Google things like ssamjang and it would be callous not to try it. It’s bosky, comforting and rich; the word olsotba an you’ll en up with stic y fingerprints all over your phone. umami coul have been specifically invente for it. suspect oreans far Besides, you’ll need to leave your hands free to manipulate the from home all pine for their granny’s version of this dish. chopstic s. ell say manipulate’; while the el est son’s ash through Though not a major fan of puddings, I give Dongnae’s a whirl, safe the air in a blur, displaying a speed and skill rarely seen outside samurai in the knowledge that Korean desserts are rarely over-saccharine. We movies, I only seem capable of chasing small morsels around my plate love the squash-based, black-sesame seed coated injeolmi, which have a with mine. I try to resist the temptation to use a spoon. texture similar to mochi – ie slightly sticky, slightly chewy – and a subtle I permit the samurai warrior to choose for us both, feeling that avour balance by the sweeter chestnut cream beneath. four years spent in Seoul justify a certain degree of mansplaining lthough ongnae has only been open five minutes it’s alrea y been (sonsplaining?) on his part. We begin with small plates, accompanied named ‘one to watch’ by the Good Food Guide, and I’d bet my last quid by banchan side dishes of the fermented variety. Despite the ready that more accolades will be landing soon. After all, Bokman once held availability of such con iments from ristol’s ai ee ong an a Michelin Plate, when such things were still being handed out, so who Sweetmart, Kyu Jeong and Duncan make their own; never mind your knows what the future may hold for its classy little sister? It’s fair to say artisanal bakeries, artisanal gochujang is a thing. that Dongnae’s the limit. . .

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FOOD & DRINK TA S T Y T I D B I T S F R O M T H E B R I S T O L F O O D S C E N E

THE STAR TREATMENT

Clear the decks for the big news: Chandos Road restaurant Wilsons has won Bristol a new Michelin star Not that anyone who knows the local food scene will be remotely surprised. Since opening in 2016, Jan Ostle and Mary Wilson’s Redland bistro has endlessly made it onto ‘best restaurants in Bristol’ lists; it’s held a Michelin green star since 2022, and in 2024 it romped in at number 20 in SquareMeal’s Top 100 UK Restaurants. We’re in proper food-hero territory here.

Much of the produce cooked

by Jan in the kitchen comes from the couple’s two-acre market garden, overseen by Mary, and what they don’t grow themselves they source from local, small-scale, regenerative farmers and producers. In the zero-waste kitchen every scrap is composted or repurposed, while leftover fruit and veg can often be bought at their nearby bakery, Bread Shop.

“Sustainability is a term often bandied around for marketing purposes, but at Wilsons we follow a ‘ground-up’ approach, in which we involve the whole team on the journey and encourage them to challenge our propositions,” Jan said in 2023. “For us, sustainability is a viable economic model which works in our favour.”

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But while the ethos may be serious and committed, dining is Wilsons is never less than a joy.

“There is so much to enjoy, and so much to admire... at Wilsons”, said the Michelin inspectors. “It’s one of those appealing neighbourhood operations that works in pure harmony, with everyone from the chefs to the service team sharing the same ethos.

“Sustainability and careful sourcing of superb ingredients are at the forefront, with the restaurant’s own smallholding providing much of the produce on the tasting menu of expertly crafted dishes. Each one is exquisitely balanced and full of understated originality, like dry-aged trout with pickled mushrooms and sweet onion broth.”

Jan and Mary say they’re incredibly proud to have received this honour from Michelin.

Ever-generous with his praise for others, Jan attributed the boom in the city’s dining scene to the “people in Bristol” and its “good vibes”.

“Our goal has always been to create something that re ects our values an passion

Jan, Mary, Wilsons and some of those Michelinstarred plates

and that serves Bristol and our local community,” he said.

“This award is testament to the dedication of our entire team, as well as the incredible farmers, producers and the people of Bristol who continuously support us.”

The Wilsons six-course set menu currently costs £75 while their three-course lunch menu is an absolute steal at just £35.

Better book well ahead now the Michelin word’s out; the locals must be fuming.

For more www.wilsonsbristol.co.uk

ALSO TWINKLING…

Bulrush – up until this week Bristol’s only remaining Michelin restaurant – has also kept its star.

The Blaise Inn, Box-E, The Clifton, COR, Marmo and Root have all retained their Bib Gourmands, which celebrate affordable, high-quality cooking, and new ones have been created for Little Hollows on Chandos Road, Zak Hitchman’s Other in Bedminster and Tare Bistro in Wapping Wharf. Congratulations to all. www.guide.michelin.com

HOT PLATES TASTY BITES

Chinese restaurant Mayflower, evicted from its longstanding Haymarket site due to redevelopment, has reopened at its new home at The Horsefair in Broadmead.

The team welcomed everyone back on its website, inviting us to “be among the first to en oy the authentic avours you love in our beautifully reimagined space, thoughtfully designed for comfort, warmth, and an unforgettable dining experience”. Few needed to be asked twice. www.m ow rbristol.com

St Paul’s bakery Farro has once again been u ge among the best in the country this time by ritis k r magazine whose Bakers’ Dozen list recognises the top 13 artisan bakeries in Britain. Previous accolades for Farro, which mills its own our from locally source chemicalfree grains, include a mention in im s 49 Best Bakeries in Britain and the i ci l im s Best 20 Bakeries.

Buoyed by their success, the team are currently scouting for a second site. www. rro.co.uk

Redland’s Burra. The vibe‘s white, not pink

THINGS CAN ONLY GET BURRA

You know Bar Chocolat on Clifton’s The Mall? The pink café, on the corner of Portland Street? Well, it’s not Bar Chocolat any more, and it’s highly unlikely to stay pink for much longer as the site has been ac uire by ntipo eanstyle brunch spot Burra as its third venue.

Technically, it’s its fourth. Bristol Bears teammates u e orahan an a e eenan opene their first caf in Redland in 2021; they followed it with a branch on Gloucester Road, then thought better of it and closed it, and opened one on North Street instead. u e a e an their partners have always sai that Burra’s aim is to promotes an ethical lifestyle with a menu fille with organic an locally source pro uce.

Our café expert Stan Cullimore has reviewed a branch of Burra three times (we didn’t tell him to, Stan roams where he pleases so we fully e pect him to be chec out the new one in the not-too- istant. www.burr bristol.co.uk

RABBIT, RABBIT

Speaking of Wapping Wharf, which we were, oh, somewhere on page 50, there have been several changes and openings since we last scribbled this column. ne of the most promising is a new venture from the multi-awar winning Totterdown restaurant BANK, which plans to open French restaurant Lapin at the old Tare site in Cargo 2 this spring.

Nobody has built their business more carefully or incrementally than Dan O’Regan, and it’s clearly paying off. n experienced barista, he initially opene as a coffee house and bar, brought experienced chefs on board (the kitchen is run by co-owner ac riggs- oran and gradually expanded the offering to become a small-plates restaurant, with a renowned Sunday lunch and plenty of guest events and collaborations.

Lapin, then, is likely to be pretty great. laying to ac ’s background in traditional French restaurants, and inspired by the bistros and brasseries of France, the menu will use the abundance Left to right, of seasonal produce we have in Jack and Dan the South West, as well as fruit veg and herbs from their own smallholding.

“Warm hospitality, and a relaxed convivial spirit, backed up by playful twists on French classics are going to be our foundation, and we really can’t wait to welcome both our new and existing guests through our doors”, says Dan. ’ll be first in the ueue says tuart atton managing irector of apping harf ’s eveloper mbersla e. ot if we get there first tuart. l i bristol n that’s not all here’s lots of other e citing stuff coming to the harf too another well- nown neighbourhoo restaurant is heading down there very soon watch this space while the mighty Gurt Wings will be slinging chicken seven days a wee ne t oor to the olly og. urtwi s Pancake Man has already arrived, with huge ueues uring the opening weekend; this may have had something to do with the fact that the first customers receive free pancakes. www.t c k m .co.uk Finally, say hi, to Anton and Lela at their new wine shop Port O’ Bristol which ships artisan wines from Portugal to Bristol exclusively via sailing cargo ships. This one, for example. www. ortobristol.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 51

© JON CR AIG

CAFÉ SOCIETY STAN CULLIMORE

Corner boys

Stan fades to grey at a new favourite on Dean Street

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his issue’s coffee shop of choice is a bit of a ar horse. r at least a grey one. ’m tal ing about reytone on ean treet in t aul’s. ust own the roa from ircome ia a moment’s stroll from runswic uare. o be honest it’s such a mo est an unassuming corner caf we nearly i n’t bother popping in. ut as so often at this time of year we were out an about en oying a splash of watery sunshine ust as the weather eci e to ta e a turn to the col an bitter si e of life. he sun

“The sun went away, the wind blew and quite frankly, my dear, we didn’t give a damn where we went, as long as it was indoors”

went away the win blew an uite fran ly my ear we i n’t give a amn where we went as long as it was in oors. y now our feet an han s were beginning to get ust a wee bit too chilly for comfort so my first thought was to hea for the lovely hotel caf bar that is the rtist esi ence. een there a few times in the past an it has never faile to eliver a reassuringly warm afterglow. owever on the way there our path through the bac streets too us to a place we ha never seen before let alone been in. o always in the moo for a new caf to brighten our ay we went insi e to have a loo aroun . he place was pretty much eserte when we arrive which is never a goo start. t’s har to u ge the atmosphere of an empty space. n the other han it was warm an ha some chairs an tables that were a splen i mi of curve woo an interesting angles so we eci e to ive on in an give it a go. ery gla we i too. he two young chaps behin the counter were e cee ingly

pleasant, the cookies and cakes on offer were e cee ingly attractive an best of all they ha coffee. ots of it. o we or ere some chose a monstrously fine iscoffan -s’mores coo ie to go with them an retreate to a table. t which point a gentle stream of what seeme li e regulars began to pop in for various coffee-an -ca e-relate a ventures. aving taste ours can’t say blame them; the resi ent coffee snob conce e that hers was a nine or ten out of ten which almost never happens. he coo ie was fab too. ig as your fist an toppe off with a melte marshmallow covere in iscoffy biscuity bits. n top of all of the above gorgeousness the corner caf position ma es it an i eal place for watching the worl go by; a fave pastime for the crew. o there you have it. remin er once again that you shoul n’t u ge a horse or caf on first appearances. n you never now when something completely awesome is going to appear in your life. n short there may be fifty sha es of grey but there’s only one reytone. n Former The Housemartins guitarist Stan is now a journalist and travel writer; @stancullimore on instagram Google up Stan’s daily substack blog: Diary of an Urban Grandad www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 53

CHARLIE TAYLOR KASK WINE

Uruguayan wine: fun to say, but maybe not on your radar. Until now...

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ast week, Wines of ruguay ew me and four others across the Atlantic to spend seven days falling in love with their beautiful country and their stunning wine.

When I told Bristol Life’s editor that this article would be about Uruguay, she murmured that it might be a little too niche. But that’s the point – Uruguay both as a destination and as a wine region is niche. My prediction is that this is about to change.

Many of the winemakers we meet were the great-grandchildren of immigrants who brought vines with them from Europe, planting them in the soils of their new home. Like brothers Gustavo, Eduardo, and Daniel, the fourth generation of the Pisano family who arrived from Liguria in northwest Italy and make wine in what Daniel described as “Burgundy soil with a Bordeaux climate”.

Or long-haired, laidback surfer Pablo Fallabrino whose Italian background shows in his wide use

of Italian grapes such as Barbera, Dolcetto, and Nebbiolo, all made with a lo-fi approach in his garage winery. And Francisco Carreau of Cerro Chapeu, a pioneer of winemaking in the north-east of the country, a grape’s throw from Brazil, whose family’s winemaking dates back to 1752 in Spain.

Tannat is the big, bold star.

Originally from the south west of France, this inky, intense grape was brought to Uruguay by Basque immigrants in the 19th century.

In its French homeland, Tannat is big and burly, packed with tannins that can make your mouth feel like sandpaper. Uruguay’s climate softens the edges, turning Tannat into something more drinkable – rich and robust, sure, but with velvety tannins, deep black fruit avours an ust enough spice to keep things interesting.

In a country that consumes more beef per capita than any other in the world, a big and bold red is not a bad thing. Better yet, winemakers have been e perimenting with ifferent styles. Love your reds bold and structured? There’s a Tannat for

you. Prefer something smoother, with a touch of oak? They’ve got that too. And if you’re a fan of natural wine you’ll fin some cracking low-intervention Tannats that let the grape’s wild side shine through.

While Tannat is the star, there’s a lot more to be discovered. What struck me most about Uruguayan winemaking was the respect for the environment and soil – very little use of chemicals, music to my ears – alongside a freedom of experimentation. Unbound by the hundreds of years of rules we fin in ol worl ’ wine regions the current generation in Uruguay are e perimenters with ifferent vessels, styles, and grapes.

We tried delicious Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays, Mansengs, Trebbianos, Malvasias, Sauvignon Blancs, Cabernet Francs, and Merlots in all styles. Of the whites, perhaps Uruguay’s biggest opportunity in the UK is with Albariño. Brought to the country by immigrants from Galicia on Spain’s Atlantic coast, the ones we tried all had a distinct salinity with a glorious peachy and citrus freshness. Albariño could do for Uruguay what Sauvignon Blanc did for New Zealand.

I could go on, but a niche article only gets a certain word count. o here are your cliff-notes the UK’s wine shelves could do with a shake-up. Uruguay’s wines are bold but balanced, traditional but innovative, and always made

with a deep respect for the land. n here’s the ic er because Uruguay’s wine scene is still relatively under the radar, you’re getting serious bang for your buck. These aren’t supermarket shelf-fillers they’re small-batch family-run wines made with care, and they punch well above their price tag.

TWO TO DRINK RIGHT NOW

Atlantico Sur Reserve Albarino ’22 by Familia Deicas From one of the most prestigious producers in the country, now led by rugby-playing Santiago, this was one of the best of the many Albarinos we tried during our trip. Full of freshness with citrus, melon and peach notes and a looooonnnnnggg finish.

Revolution Tannat ’22

by Vina Progreso Vina Progreso’s wines are

by Gabriel Pisano, the next generation of the Pisano family. Part of a boutique and experimental range, this interpretation of Tannat is medium-bodied with the grape’s trademark chewy tannins and fruity notes of strawberries, blackberries plus umami mushrooms. Drink with a big steak!

Visit KASK Wine at 51 North Street, Bedminster 07522 198081 www.kaskwine.co.uk www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 55

ED’S CHOICE LINDFORM BARI VASE, £25 we ish bran in form’s ceramics are inspire both by the organic tones of can inavian nature an the elegance of apanese minimalist styling so that’s the apan i tren tic e with a single vase then From UStudio, 115 Gloucester Road; www.ustudio.shop IMOLA CHAIR, £ 6,182 (WAS £6,869) a e from caramel or ic intage leather with a swivel base that turns so seamlessly you’ll want to ta e it for a spin From Bo Concept, 76-78 Whiteladies Road www.boconcept.com

FIFTY SHADES OF BROWN t s what all the cool homes are wearing these ays

GERSHWING WALLPAPER, £159 PER ROLL A wonderfully decadent Art Decoin uence print enhance with beautiful gold metallic detail From Divine Savages, 5 Margaret's Buildings, Bath; www.divinesavages.com

LITTLE GREENE GANACHE PAINT, FROM £29 PER LITRE (DEPENDING ON FINISHES) n coo ery ganache is a blen of rich chocolate an hot cream. n paint form it creates a surface you’ll have to physically restrain yourself from lic ing From Nola Interiors 168 Gloucester Road www.nolainteriors-bristol.co.uk

IB LAURSEN CERAMIC KNOB, £3.99 ntrigue by the brown tren but not ready to fully commit? aybe start small f still not green an olive are also available From Mon Pote, 217a North Street www monpote.co.uk

56 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

PJ72 WALL LIGHT, £POA y rs elysning a family company in in we en’s m lan who believe that local small-scale pro uction is the ey to ma ing uality pro ucts e uitably an sustainably From Oskar Furniture, 47 Whiteladies Road www.oskarfurniture.co.uk

NORSTJERNE SCULPTURAL BOWL, £34.50 (WAS £69) art of the ustain collection; waste pro ucts are recycle into beautiful an uni ue bowls From Maze Clothing, 26-28 The Mall www.mazeclothing.co.uk

BLOOMINGVILLE JANICA LAMPSHADE, £259 A sleek and sophisticated lighting pendant made from warm, brown-toned linen that creates a cosy glow From Fig 1, Unit 9, Gaol Ferry Steps www.fi .co.uk

BLOOMINGVILLE INESS FLOWERPOT, £30 All the retro vibes in this ever-so-Seventies stoneware pot from the Danish interiors masters From Fig 1, Unit 9, Gaol Ferry Steps www.fi .co.uk

RUSTY LETTERS: 9CM £1.50 (FROM £3), 25CM £4 (WAS £8) Ideal used inside or out. Ours spell BL for Bristol Life; yours don’t have to From Maze Clothing, 26-28 The Mall www.mazeclothing.co.uk TALL PLANT STAND, £85 Purposefully tapered at the top to give a subtle, elegant silhouette; you can have the base platform left as natural birch wood, or have it painted with a solid colour From Prior Made, 23 Philadelphia Street www.priormade.store

TWO WILLIAMSBURG HIGH STOOLS, £695 In rich tan faux leather, lending a touch of luxe to the factory-style industrial look From Cox & Cox; www.coxandcox.co.uk

HKLIVING ROUND RUG, £139 Luxuriously soft tufted rug made from wool and cotton in a warm chestnut brown – the perfect midcentury-inspired accessory for your home From Mon Pote, 217a North Street; www monpote.co.uk

BLOOMINGVILLE BILLE ETAGERE, £57 (FROM £95) The easiest way to introduce brown, is of course through natural wood – mango, in the case of this elegant etagere with its sexy Danish curves From Fig 1, Unit 9, Gaol Ferry Steps www.fi .co.uk

SCHOOL

REPORT There’s a lot to consider when selecting the right school for your child. In this special report we allow three outstanding local ones tell us what makes them special

EDUCATION

T

here are so many questions when choosing a school, and so few obvious answers. Do you go state or private, single sex or co-ed? Do you prioritise academic results or pastoral care? Does sports matter most, or do you favour the arts? How does the balance look between exam results, perhaps Oxbridge entrance percentages, and such holistic concerns as character development, collaboration skills and creativity? The best schools, of course, do it all, and we’re lucky enough to have a wide range of options locally at ifferent si es an with ifferent specialities all doing their best for your child. Here are three of the best.

BADMINTON SCHOOL

Boarding and day school for girls in Westbury-on-Trym www.badmintonschool.co.uk What’s special about you? One thing people consistently comment

on is our incredible sense of community, often felt the moment you step through the gates. That comes from being a small school; we only have 500 pupils, from reception to sixth form. It means there’s no anonymity, as everyone knows everyone. ur mi of over ifferent nationalities means pupils learn about ifferent cultures effortlessly an e perience a global society from a young age. They also have a friendship network that spans the globe, which is pretty awesome.

We are the only all-through, all-girls school in Bristol, so gender stereotypes and glass-ceilings are non-existent. Girls are empowere an confi ent to reach their full brilliance right from the very start of their educational journey, and what could be more special and more powerful than that?

Tell us about a recent highlight We’ve reached the finals of the irls chool ssociation hoir of the year; our outstan ing evel results were the best in Bristol; the introduction of our girls’ cricket pathway programme.

CLIFTON COLLEGE

Co-ed boarding and day school for pupils aged 13-18 in Clifton www.cliftoncollege.com What’s special about you? Traditionally, independent schools in the

have fitte either as boar ing or ay schools. lifton ollege has always been both with no one group significantly outnumbering the other. e also now welcome e i-boar ing spaces.

This blend of day and boarding pupils has a profound impact on how the school is run. The House system is central to our outstanding pastoral care and also plays a big part of school life for our pupils.

Every pupil is part of a House, equipped with its own charm and character along with a core group of staff meaning our pastoral reach is interwoven across the whole school network. Our pupils look forward to plenty of inter-house competitions each year, uniting groups in shared experience and cordial rivalry while simultaneously forming bonds across all our year groups for peer support and guidance.

Tell us about a recent highlight he completion an official opening

of the hellaram ports omple a generational transformation to

At all-girls school Badminton, gender stereotypes and glass ceilings are non-existent INSET: Clifton College has always struck an ideal balance of day pupils and boarders

“Inter-house competitions unite groups in shared experience and cordial rivalry” www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 59

EDUCATION

our pupils’ sporting experience which provides them with year-round access to professional quality sports facilities. It features multi-purpose courts for netball, tennis, basketball, badminton and cricket, plus a bouldering wall, an indoor hockey pitch and space for touch rugby, seating for 208 spectators and modern changing facilities.

TOCKINGTON MANOR SCHOOL

A school and nursery for pupils aged 2 to 13 in Tockington www.tockingtonmanorschool.com What makes you special? t’s har to put your finger on it but you

feel our magic when you walk through our old Manor House front door. Smiling children go between their classrooms and the extensive outdoor facilities with ease, living out the school motto to ‘make the most of every moment’. They receive individual attention in small classes and are cared for by specialist teachers who nurture and inspire a love of learning to last a lifetime.

Our 74 extracurricular clubs may not be special, nor the fact that more than 70% of our Year 8s left to senior schools armed with scholarships last year; it might not be the swimming lessons and French offere in nursery or the fun s we raise for our chosen charity every year. It’s all the pieces combined into a place that is so much more than a school – our Tockington community is a family made up of a group of people inclu ing staff parents chil ren alumni volunteers an quite a lot of wildlife.

“It’s all the various pieces combined that add up to so much more than just a school”

Tockington Manor: you feel the magic as soon as you walk through the door

fficially becoming a member of the Clifton College Education Group. It is a major achievement for the school to be a key asset in a forward-thinking family of educational establishments. We also revamped our nursery garden into a wonderful outdoor space with thought and purpose for our owls and woodpeckers.

Tell us about a recent highlight

AND IT’S NEVER TOO LATE…

Schooling doesn’t need to end at a certain age! If there are gaps in your own education, or you simply want to enrich your life with further studying, Bristol University holds numerous courses in the humanities, from English literature to history, art, classics and theology. www.bristol.ac.uk Where? Most of the courses are at Woodland Road in Clifton; there’s also a micro-campus in Barton Hill, St Paul’s Learning Centre, The Park Centre in Knowle and the Greenway Centre in Southmead.

e offer an opportunity to all irrespective of educational background and experience, to study at university level with e pert tutors. ur range of courses offer e ible learning options for a range of interests and experience. Our courses aim to support, inspire and create inclusive learning opportunities for all.

What do you do?

Tell us about a recent highlight One of our students who did our

Mastering English Literature pathway course progressed into a Masters and passed his PhD viva last year, We’re also pleased to have developed some short videos for our Reading English Literature and Mastering English Literature pathway courses – these can be found on our website. n

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 61

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INTERIOR MONOLOGUE FROM A CHILDHOOD IN ITALY TO PROJECTMANAGING ACROSS EUROPE: HOW MARTA ROSSATA EVOLVED HER SIGNATURE STYLE AND GREW HER BRISTOL BUSINESS

CARPENTRY & JOINERY HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST

Kitchens planned, supplied and installed Fitted bedroom furniture to your design Bespoke carpentry as required Restoration work on listed properties

01275 399992 07815 795075

NETWORK NEWS JOIN THE MOVEMENT

EMBARQUING NOW ristol a new s ft office evelopment overloo ing the Floating Harbour, has been unveiled by elton roup nvestment. cting with leasing support from JLL and night ran the pro ect offers mo ern sustainable workspace options ranging from to s ft.

Designed by Bristol-based architects AWW and built with sustainability in mind, EMBARQ retains key structural elements to save approximately 1,440 tonnes of e. he buil ing will run entirely on responsibly sourced green electricity, and incorporates energy-

efficient features li e thermally efficient windows, VRF air conditioning, and LED lighting, aiming for a 65% reduction in annual operational carbon emissions.

Scheduled for completion within 13 months, EMBARQ aims for top environmental certifications inclu ing an -rate an cellent.

Skelton Group highlights its commitment to elivering premium office space that meets modern business and environmental standards; early leasing interest has already been registered by JLL an night ran .

For more www.embarqbristol.co.uk

THE FUTURE’S BRIGHT UWE Futures, the talent programme at UWE Bristol targeting global majority students, is expanding its reach in Bristol’s legal and creative sectors in its secon year. ew a itions inclu e legal firms an Foot Anstey, alongside Plimsoll ro uctions in the creative fiel .

The programme, aiming to UWE Futures interns at Osborne Clarke enhance industry diversity and create career pathways now offers nearly placements across eight businesses. hese opportunities span mar eting finance an ris with guarantee interviews or e ten e internships for participants. ristol itself oins as a participant offering internships in an finance. he programme sets out to bri ge aca emic stu ies with practical e perience. artners such as Osborne Clarke and Burges Salmon foster talent, with positive feedback from past participants reinforcing its value.

Overall, UWE Futures continues to champion diversity, aiming to dismantle barriers an cultivate a more inclusive professional lan scape in ristol.

For more: www.uwe.ac.uk/news/uwe-futures

The local one, that is; launched on 20 February, new app xplore promises to be the ultimate discovery and engagement platform designed exclusively for certifie in epen ent businesses.

Whether at home or exploring new places, xplore helps people stay connected to what’s happening around them through a personalised news feed – think of it as Instagram for local life but without the algorithms or a s.

Through the app you can discover and engage with fellow businesses, check in to earn badges and rewards for supporting local companies, create guides sharing your favourite spots and leave recommendations (not reviews) to help businesses build Greg chats all their reputation. things local with “Our mission is to create a more local world by transforming disconnected communities into thriving hubs Josh Eggleton of the Pony group where we spend more time and money,” says founder and hief plorer’ reg ar en. e nee your help to fin the best independent businesses and neighbourhoods that make ristol truly special. rom cosy caf s to lou an prou bouti ues we want to certify the best of Bristol and put them on the xplore map. For more www.xplorelocal.com

ENHANCING THE CENTRE Planning permission has been granted to demolish the Galleries and construct a significant mi e -use evelopment in ristol city centre.

This redevelopment, led by Deeley Freed, will replace the shopping centre with a new comple featuring ats a -room hotel an up to stu ent accommo ations. he esign inclu es groun oor restaurants shops facing astle ar an roa mea an the pedestrianisation of Newgate adjacent to astle ar .

Deeley Freed’s proposal addresses the Galleries’ longstanding obsolescence, exacerbated by competition from Cabot Circus since . he evelopment aims to revitalise the area, reducing carbon emissions by 40% through sustainable features like a district heat network and extensive solar panels. itionally the pro ect inclu es . million for support an affor able homes.

Despite concerns over building height and environmental impact, local councillors overwhelmingly support the initiative, highlighting its potential to enhance Bristol’s city centre an create new housing an amenities.

For more: www.deeleyfreed.co.uk

Offices in: Henleaze, Whiteladies Road Clifton Village, Shirehampton 0117 962 1205 www.amdsolicitors.com

PRIVATE CLIENT - FAMILY - PROPERTY - COMMERCIAL

Originally from Italy, now based in Bristol, MARTA ROSSATO offers a full interior design service to clients right across the West Country.

Her mission is to improve her clients’ wellbeing by designing sustainable spaces for them to live in and enjoy for years to come

68 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

M

arta grew up in Italy, where her upbringing was deeply in uence by travel. isiting heritage cities e hibitions an architectural landmarks, she was exposed at an early age to the rich culture of her home country. taly has this combination of pioneering esign an rural architecture that creates something unique that stands the test of time she says. arta spent years across urope specialising in pro ect management and event organising – in very ifferent conte ts. was also a photographer; lived on a small island in Brazil running a bar on a beach an years later bac in ome foun e wo-ma’n a gallery e icate to photography.

What brought you to Bristol? he aspiration to live in a city which was creative multicultural thoughtprovoking, and human-sized.

What lead to you specialising in interior design?

My bond to design has always been strong, and I am simply happier when the space am in wor s for me. wante to create this magic for other people too.

How did your earlier careers helped you to establish your interiors business? y bac groun in large-scale event organising an pro ect management in ifferent sectors gave me the ability to work to ea lines coor inate teams an establish strong processes an communication practices. n having renovate or re ecorate all 21 homes I’ve lived in, I eeply un erstan the realities of transforming spaces.

Tell us a bit about your client base. Is it mostly domestic, commercial, or both? starte specialising in resi ential interiors scaling from ecorative pro ects to large-scale ones involving full remo elling.

Currently, I am involved in a hotel

NETWORK

Marta describes her aesthetic as “Clean and bold, but always with something unexpected”

traders – joiners, curtain makers, ironmongers. My favourite brands here are House of Mobel, Bert & May and Fig1.

and spa renovation in Cilento, ust south of the malfi oast.

This involves a combination of traveling and working remotely, and being part of a larger team in a cutting-edge, innovation-led project.

How would you sum up your style? have a efine contemporary aesthetic in uence by my talian upbringing and my Mediterranean travelling – I wouldn’t excel at designing traditional British interiors! I would say my aesthetic is clean yet bold, and there is always something unexpected.

I admire the timeless beauty of Mid-century Modern, have a love for the details of Art Deco, the rigorousness of Bauhaus and Brutalism, and the simplicity of Wabi-Sabi; the grandeur of Italian enaissance an the effortless elegance of French interiors.

The end result is a unique combination of the client’s – often unspoken – desire and the Marta ossato nteriors air.

What core values guide your life and your designs?

I lead my business the same way I do my life: radically integral to my values. I prioritise my clients’ best interests as much as my own, always seeking quality over quantity and creativity over consumption. Central to my ethos is a commitment to meaning and sustainability, and when I select tradespeople, or source products, I look at the inner value behind the mere aesthetic.

How does your admiration for Wabi-Sabi translates into your interior design style?

Wabi-Sabi is a way of life as well as an aesthetic ideal from Japan and inextricably linked to the art of kintsugi. They celebrate the beauty of imperfection, of the simple details of everyday life. In my designs, it’s an inspiration to create spaces that can transform daily routines into indulgent moments.

Are there any current trends or colourways that you are loving

at the moment?

I feel drawn to the attention for small everyday moments. The Pantone Colour of the Year, Mocha Mousse, is a great example, answering our longing for simple pleasures that we can gift ourselves with and share with others.

The sustainability-led innovation in process and materials and construction. I am very interested in how Brazil is pioneering this. On the other hand, I feel the UK has still a long way to go.

What trends do you foresee being popular in 2025?

A growing emphasis on physical and mental wellbeing at home. My inspiration for 2025 is emotional lighting, another element that helps me create at-home wellness spaces.

Are there any local businesses you love to work with?

I am projected internationally and driven towards Italian brands that excel at combining aesthetics and innovation. When I work in Bristol I have a network of local

“HAVING RENOVATED MY OWN 21 HOMES, I UNDERSTAND THE REALITIES OF TRANSFORMING SPACES”

Is there a ‘Bristol style’, and do you find that clients have different typical tastes in the cities you work in?

Local culture, architecture, and lifestyle play a strong role in shaping design choices, and that’s the beauty of wor ing across ifferent countries. The essence of Bristol is independent and innovative yet rooted in its historical architecture and craftsmanship. Sustainability is also key here, and all this is re ecte in the city’s style an passion for design. In other places I wor such as ome or the malfi Coast, clients often favour timeless elegance, local crafts and materials; my Bristol clients are more modern and eclectic.

Where in Bristol is your own home, and what style is it?

Our home is a four-bedroomed corner house. We fell in love with the spacious rooms and large windows and we instantly envisioned the transformation we could bring. The open-plan living and kitchen we created as part of a ma or remo el now fully re ects our Italian lifestyle: a love for colour, Mid-century Modern and socialising.

Can you share some client testimonials you’re particularly proud of?

“You helped us understand what we truly needed and came up with a solution which we would never have considered ourselves, and that now we absolutely love.”

I still consider this the best compliment. I can achieve this because I ask the right questions and I listen to the answers.

Where would you like to see the business in five years?

Back to Italy, with a branch here in Bristol.

For more www.martarossato.net

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 69

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You’ve done the hard bit; now comes the fun bit

ongratulations to all Bristol Life war s finalists ee we tol you it was easy to enter an now loo what’s happene ; you’ve ma e the final cut an have been officially liste among the very best of ristol. e ha a recor number of nominations this year each attesting to the brilliance resolve

creativity an sheer acumen of ristol businesses. omehow our panel manage to whittle them own to the shortlist of finalists which were announce uring the ran eveal ay on anuary. o who ma e the cut ho are this year’s fabulous finalists ell the list is far too long for us to name everyone here though you’ll fin them all on our website an our social me ia channels; or ust glance over to page for the low own. he rest of the process is totally out of out han s now it’s up to our e cellent panel of in epen ent

u ges to choose the outright winner in each category along with the prestigious latinum war for the cr me e la cr me; the best in show.

here are two fresh new categories in this year’s mi est mall usiness which receive a whopping nominations an the egen s category celebrating ristol businesses which have been going strong for years or more.

WHAT DO I DO NEXT? he Bristol Life war s ta es place on arch at shton ate ta ium. ush to secure your tic ets these always sell out with a long waiting list; the war s after all are the biggest most glamorous business event in ristol casting a wi e an eclectic net which inclu es companies from every imaginable sector from the smallest in epen ent to the largest of the corporates. ic ets can be purchase on the website either singly on in groups.

“THE BRISTOL LIFE AWARDS, IS THE BIGGEST, MOST GLAMOROUS BUSINESS EVENT IN BRISTOL” SPONSOR THE AWARDS ur latinum war this year is sponsore by ptimising with other sponsors currently on boar ; opportunities to oin them are going fast so to fin out more please contact eil at neil.snow me iaclash.co.u .

The 2025 Bristol Life Awards take place at Ashton Gate Stadium on 20 March For more: www.bristollifeawards.co.uk @BristolLifeAwds

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 71

PROPERTY

CLIFTON VALE Whether you’re headed up hill or down vale, this charming Georgian home is poised to enjoy the best of the city Words by Ursula Cole

M

eaning no disrespect to those residing in the lower half of Clifton Vale, but the higher up the street you go, the better it gets. Not only does it make the schlepp into Clifton Village that much easier, but the top houses obviously come with the best views.

Admittedly, it is a bit of a schlepp uphill – not even the most optimistic of estate agents woul argue that lifton ale is at but that’s why the residents here have such beautifully toned calves.

Besides, next to the not-to-beconfused-with Vale Street in otter own officially the steepest residential road in the UK, it’s just a slope.

The road may long have been absorbed into the city, but the genteel Georgian houses here, with their large front gardens and covetable iron balustrades, retain if not exactly a rural charm then a memory of a time when Clifton was indeed a village where19thcentury merchants created spacious homes far away from the noisy and noisome centre.

Number 12 Clifton Vale, our showcase this issue, is a lovely example.

It’s part of a pretty terrace of just 15 Grade-II* town houses built between 1840 and 1843; Clifton Village and the Harbour are equidistant,

72 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

PROPERTY

each being around a third of a mile away; from the bottom of the hill the city centre is an easy walk or an always idyllic ferry ride to the city centre.

Number 12 is a box-ticker of a home, with its limestone facade, west-facing balcony and far-reaching views. Its narrow frontage gives little hint of the spaciousness within; this is a five-storey home with at least two main rooms on each oor each one beautifully restored and decorated, while a contemporary extension at gar en- oor level creates one of the most enviable open-plan kitchen-diners we’ve featured on these pages.

The house is screened from the casual view by a mature hedge. A gate from the street pavement opens to a pathway which an s the lawn an lea s up to the front oor; there are also steps own to the gar en oor.

From the entrance hall, an original arch leads through to the stairwell, with a handsome curved balustrade staircase rising to the upper oors; more mo est steps presumably designed for the comings and goings of servants lea own to the lower groun oors.

Two charming reception rooms occupy the ground oor; there’s a full-wi th sitting room at the bac an an elegant study or family room at the front, both with reclaime marble fire-surroun s. elow lies the e uisite open-plan kitchen and dining room, which ends in a glass-walled extension with oversized doors sliding open to the garden. A ‘living roof ’ includes an architectural strip of glass to maximise the natural light.

The kitchen has a coolly industrial vibe, with its strippe oors stainless-steel wor tops an slee units hiding every appliance you can think of, and maybe one

74 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

PROPERTY or two you didn’t know you needed. A further room here currently makes a gym.

In classic Georgian style, the grand full-width space on the first oor is use as a rawing room its twin sash windows opening onto a canopied balcony. From here you can gaze across to Ashton Court – the perfect vantage point for balloon-spotting. Be prepared for uninvited guests to pop in during summer evenings, demanding a sundowner with views. here are five be rooms the master having an impressive master suite with even better west-facing views, along with an en-suite shower room. Unusually, but very sensibly when you think about it, one of the top- oor rooms has been HOUSE NUMBERS made into a laundry, with Where Clifton Vale plenty of linen storage.

Guide price £1.75m At the back of the 5 house, the garden has been Receptions Bedrooms 5 landscaped into levels for al-frescoing throughout Bat/shower rooms 3 the day, chasing the sun Outside Deep front garden from morning coffee on the and landscaped back garden terrace close to the house, to Call my agent: Rupert Oliver later in the afternoon across 0117 452 3555 the top tier. www.rupertoliver.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 75

BRISTOL & CLIFTON’S PREMIER COMMERCIAL PROPERTY AGENTS Keep up-to-date with our latest news, deals, testimonials and market comment at our website: www.burstoncook.co.uk Whiteladies Road, Clifton TO LET – POA 712–3,032 sq ft (66.14–281.67 sq m)

Clare Street, BS1 TO LET – POA 1,193 sq ft (110.83 sq m)

A prominent high quality, contemporary refurbished office accommodation over 4 floors.

Large forecourt for parking for up to 5 cars. New lease to be agreed.

A stunning period office building designed by Alfred Waterhouse offering a light and airy office at ground floor level, with excellent floor to ceiling height and additional useful storage space.

Pipe Lane, Bristol, BS1 FOR SALE – £950,000 1,600 sq ft (148.64 sq m)

High Street, Portishead TO LET – POA 1,226 sq ft (113.9 sq m)

10 bedroom student HMO investment property in a very desirable student location in the centre of Bristol. The property is fully let with a current gross income of £90,000 pax.

A high-quality self-contained corner pitched retail unit over ground and first floor, with stores and W.C's. There is a rear car park with space for three vehicles as well as external bin stores.

Whiteladies Road, Clifton FOR SALE – £625,000 1,897 sq ft (176.23 sq m)

Whitefriars, BS1 TO LET – £17.50 psf 5,554 sq ft (515.97 sq m)

Freehold mixed use investment opportunity located in the affluent suburb of Clifton. Total passing rent of £47,400 per annum.

Providing modern, yet affordable office accommodation, which is fully fitted with meeting rooms, a/c and large break out area/ kitchen and an onsite gym and coffee shop!

East Street, Bedminster TO LET – POA 4,025 sq ft (373.93 sq m)

Parnall Road Industrial Estate, BS16. FOR SALE – £150,000 711 sq ft (66.05 sq m)

Large retail unit to let – only one unit left with strong passing footfall on East Street. Class E – suitable for a variety of commercial uses.

A self-contained commercial unit over ground and first floors and comprises storage/workshop space at ground floor level situated on an industrial park in Fishponds.

One external parking space.

The Courtyard, Almondsbury Suites to let – POA 403 – 1,895 sq ft (37.44 – 176.05 sq m)

Berkeley Square, BS8 FOR SALE – POA 4,015 sq ft (372.99 sq m) A fabulous opportunity to create a magnificent family home in the upper terrace of Clifton’s renowned Berkeley Square, with ample parking. The property also suits investors seeking to benefit from high levels of income currently produced within the property.

Open plan self contained office suites refurbished to provide contemporary office space.

Larger suites with a rent of only £10 per sq ft pax, providing excellent rental value.

Julian Cook FRICS

Jayne Rixon MRICS

Charlie Kershaw MRICS

Finola Ingham FRICS

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HOME IMPROVEMENTS TO HELP YOU SLEEP BETTER RETROFIT WEST tells us about the unexpected benefits of making energy efficiency upgrades to your home

W

e often think about home improvements in terms of aesthetics, but what if the changes we make to our living spaces could directly impact our wellbeing? Energy efficiency improvements do more than reduce your bills and make your home greener. It also has a massive impact on your overall wellbeing and sleep. Our home environment plays a crucial role in the quality of our rest – and energy efficiency upgrades could be the key to unlocking better sleep.

THE SCIENCE OF SLEEP AND YOUR HOME Sleep is more than just a way to recharge; it’s fundamental to our health, impacting everything from memory retention to immune function. Yet many of us struggle to get a full, uninterrupted night’s rest. While lifestyle choices and stress levels play a role, we often overlook how our homes might be working against us.

From fluctuating temperatures to background noise and poor air quality, the very environment we live in can make or break a good night’s sleep. This is where retrofitting – upgrading our homes for comfort, efficiency, and resilience – becomes more than just a practical investment. It’s a lifestyle upgrade.

A STEADY, COMFORTABLE TEMPERATURE If you’ve ever woken up in the middle of the night feeling too hot or too cold, you’re not alone. Temperature fluctuations can disrupt sleep cycles, leaving you feeling groggy and unrested. This is especially difficult in the height of summer and winter when you don’t want to open windows. Adding or topping up insulation, installing modern double or triple glazed windows and draught-proofing helps to regulate indoor temperatures, keeping your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter and reducing the likelihood of those jarring nighttime awakenings.

FRESH AIR, BETTER BREATHING Modern airtight homes can trap pollutants inside, leading to stale, stuffy air that we breathe in. Ensuring sufficient ventilation is in place ensures a consistent flow of fresh air, reducing allergens and improving overall air quality. For those with respiratory issues or allergies, this can be a game-changer in achieving deeper, uninterrupted sleep.

THE POWER OF QUIET Noise pollution is a well-known sleep disruptor, yet many homes do little to block out external sounds. Whether it’s the hum of traffic, the

chatter of late-night passersby, or the early morning song of birds, unwanted noise can pull us from deep sleep into restless wakefulness.

Modern windows have better soundproofing and insulation (especially those with added soundproofing properties) creates more of a buffer against outside disturbances, turning your bedroom into a peaceful retreat.

DAMP, MOULD, AND THE HIDDEN SLEEP DISRUPTORS A damp home can lead to mould growth, which in turn affects indoor air quality and can trigger respiratory problems. Poor sleep is often linked to allergens in the air, and tackling the root cause through better ventilation and moisture control can make a noticeable difference in how well you rest at night. You can purchase humidity readers for around £10 that will give a guidance on how much moisture is in your home at different times.

CREATING A HOME THAT PROMOTES REST The concept of a ‘sleep sanctuary’ isn’t just about blackout curtains and the right mattress.

A truly restful home is one where the air is clean, the temperature is stable, and external disruptions are kept to a minimum. Energy efficiency upgrades offer a holistic approach to achieving this, ensuring that comfort and wellbeing are at the heart of your home.

Perhaps it’s time to stop counting sheep and start considering how your home could be the key to waking up refreshed and ready to take on the day.

Want to learn more about how retrofitting could transform your home and your sleep?

Get in touch with Retrofit West to explore the possibilities. Retrofit West are a community interest company funded by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority to help householders plan, design, and deliver energyefficient and sustainable home improvements.

Contact the free advice service or use the free homeowner hub at www.retrofitwest.co.uk n

tel: 0800 038 6733; advice@retrofitwest.co.uk www.retrofitwest.co.uk

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BRISTOL LIVES

ANDY HAMILTON

Every day ask, could this be wilder?

Maybe sit outside more, without doing anything else”

Brewer, forager, broadcaster, spaceman, occasional liar.

Not the bloke off Have I Got News for You

S

orry for the confusion. We realise that for the past 20 years, the Bristol Lives feature has occupied the back page of the magazine and the back page alone. But what can we say? Forager/brewer/ author/you name it Andy has seduced us with his wild, wild life, and we felt he deserved the extra page.

Oh and he’s got a great new book out called New Wild Order – but best let him tell you about it.

Andy, in the intro of New Wild Order you talk about experiencing an early ‘call to the wild’ – please tell us about this, and the plant responsible for this initial fascination

The plant was chickweed, a small but edible weed and one of the most widely growing plants in the country, and there it was at the bottom of my garden. I didn’t expect to find anything growing as it was a spot where we played war – digging trenches and running Action Man tanks over

the soil. I’d just come back from my holidays, and instead of a mud wall twenty or more plants had sprouted up under the dappled light of the pine trees. Seeing it was like one of those moments when you find the person you’re going to spend the rest of your life with, or when you first stand in the house you will buy – you just sort of know it’s significant.

Where did you grow up, and what was your home town like?

I grew up in Northampton, an industrial Midlands town once famed for shoemaking and now famed for Alan Carr. It was described as the most average place in the country – lots of suburban housing and, during the ’80s and ’90s, lots of street fighting. It’s typical of a provincial town, and it’s really green and beautiful in parts. The local parks are big and so are many of the gardens. Traffic on our side of town was minimal, so there was a real mix of the idyllic and the slightly terrifying.

Presumably before becoming a bestselling author of books

about foraging and wild food you must have done a few other things. What else is on your CV?

I worked in the psychiatric wing of a hospital to get me through uni. I’ve also made mashed potato, laid out pasta sheets for ready meals, read out credit card numbers and a whole host of the lowest paid agency work. The worst, I think, was cleaning out the furnace at British Steel in Corby; I got covered in soot and dirt and it took weeks to get clean.

I didn’t even get paid and the steel works never made steel again.

Why did you move to Bath – we’ll get on to Bristol in a bit – and how did being there foster your love of foraging?

I’d been living in Nottingham, where I was mugged, burgled and assaulted twice in the space of 20 months. Serious crime was rife, you’d hear gun fire and see forensics everywhere. I wanted to move somewhere that felt the opposite. Bath was ideal.

Can you tell us briefly about the earlier books you wrote?

Yeah sure; the most successful

was Booze for Free – a book about turning foraged stuff into booze.

I also wrote a book on fermenting food, called Fermenting Everything; a book about making and tasting beer called The Perfect Pint, and my first book, about urban self-sufficiency, called the Selfsufficientish Bible.

Now you’d better tell us what’s in the new book

It’s hard to categorise: it’s been called a memoir/self-help/ popular science/nature book.

I use my life experiences, experiments, scientific and ancient wisdom to ask the question: would a wilder life be healthier and happier?

The chapters run from life through to death. I looked at all aspects of my life, starting with the problems with modern farming and our diets, then I went more personal looking at how and where I sleep, what I dream about, how and where I sit and what it might do for my back, where my anxiety comes from, how I wash and what with, and my creative outlets including painting, singing and drumming and more.

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BRISTOL LIVES

What do you hope people will take from the book?

I’d love it if it just helped them lead healthier and more joyful lives. I feel from going through the process myself I’ve dealt with a lot of my natural anxiety that arises from the confinements of our damaged western world. I’ve also designed it to be an easy read and it’s a mix of being quite funny and rather moving.

Bristol folk are busy people, busily leading busy urban lives. What piece of advice would you give us, following the philosophy of the book, to make our lives better?

Every day ask, could this be wilder? Maybe sit outside more, without doing anything else. t’s har at first if you are used to the distraction of a device that’s designed to be addictive, but over time it becomes one of the most rewarding things you can do. It helps keep the mind still.

Maybe pick the odd dandelion leaf as you walk to work. Microdose if you are feeling very broken. Sit on the oor instea of a chair from time to time, to strengthen your legs.

Indeed, there is a ton of helpful advice in New Wild Order!

You sound very hands-on – a man who ‘walks the talk’ as TV presenter Toby Buckland once said. You’ve foraged and fermented, run workshops and an actual shop – anything we’ve left out?

Ooh – good research. I’ve talked on cruise ships, fed Chris ac ham a toffee apple on live TV, run wild cocktail workshops and matched cheese with wild cocktails, brewed award-winning beer, organised wild banquets, made bad techno, been both a radio and club DJ, and run writers workshops.

Do you have any other secret skills?

Ha, that’s possibly enough to keep me going!

82 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

teaches me about the birds in our garden and we sit and watch them together. We also go tracking. My son is a bit more hands-on, he likes to spend as much time as he can in the park with his mates and he loves the scouts. He’s always loved a walk in the woods and indeed, we love camping together in my friend’s small woodland.

Apart from its obvious superiority to any other UK town, what brought you to Bristol?

Love – my partner is from Edinburgh and likes a bigger city and all of the culture, food and bustle that it brings. Once she got me here, around 20 years ago, Bristol’s charms kept us here.

How much is Bristol’s famously green stance is rooted in fact?

There are some great people doing some really great things here, and that kind of positivity, drive and passion is a joy to be around. However, I am concerned by its current rapid growth and the trend to build on many wild spaces. I worry that we’re creating a future mental health epidemic.

Do your own kids share your enthusiasm for the wild?

In their own way. My daughter

Where in the city do you live?

Brislington – there are many bits that are great about it but the best thing is that I’ve made some great friends in the area.

Favourite local wild space?

I have many, as you can imagine, so I’m going to pick an unexpected one. There are a few metal benches on the A4, outside Sainsbury’s just before you get to an y ar . hey are an e by London planes and some shrubs.

The light there is always fantastic and sitting there watching the world rush by makes me feel like the luckiest man on earth.

Favourite restaurant?

Adelina Yard – hands-down the best food in Bristol. I frequent cafés more, and I love Rosario’s, Kin deli in Sandy Park, Arnos Vale café, and meeting friends at Bocabar Paintworks.

What is your most regrettable habit?

It used to be smoking, but I knocked that on the head.

How often are you confused with the other Andy Hamilton?

Ha, The Guardian once paid me for the more famous Andy Hamilton’s work, and I’ve had people come to talks expecting to hear about Have I Got News for You. He’s a nice chap; last we spoke he sai he was off to the he gerows to pretend to be me.

We’d better let you get on. What are you doing immediately after answering these questions?

It’s a lovely day out so I’m going to sit on a bench in Arnos Vale cemetery and look at the birds for an hour or two. I might pen a few words in my notebook while there in prep for my next book – shh… it might be about nature in unexpected places.

A New Wild Order is published by Scribe, hb RRP £18.99 For more www. theotherandy hamilton.com