Bristol Old Vic Spring/Summer 2025 Season Announced
17 Oct 2024
Bristol Old Vic has today announced its Spring/Summer Season for 2025, including a flagship production directed by Nancy Medina, which places new writing front and centre.
- Nancy Medina directs World Premiere of Amy Jephta’s “A Good House” in Bristol Old Vic co-production with the Royal Court Theatre.
- Next co-production with “Kathy & Stella Solve a Murder!” producers brings a new production of Seiriol Davies’ award-winning comedy musical sensation “How To Win Against History”.
- Spotlight on SW and UK wide companies Theatre Uncut, Vital Xposure and Little Angel Theatre.
- New work from playwrights Julia Grogan, babirye bukilwa and Tim X Atack.
- The new Season goes on sale to Members on Thu 17 Oct at 12noon and General on sale is on Thu 24 Oct at 12noon.
In Bristol Old Vic’s first co-production with the Royal Court Theatre in 30 years, comes new play A Good House. This thrilling and comedic new work from South African writer Amy Jephta follows a couple who discover the limits of good neighbourliness and what is required to fit in. Following Choir Boy, her much-celebrated debut production as Artistic Director, Nancy Medina directs this biting satire of community politics in a world premiere production opening at the Royal Court Theatre from 11 Jan – 8 Feb before transferring to Bristol Old Vic from 14 Feb – 18 Mar.
Nancy Medina said:“It’s a real thrill to be working with the Royal Court Theatre next season on this production. As Bristol Old Vic refocuses on developing and supporting new writing for our region, to be able to partner with the Royal Court – a theatre synonymous with excellence in new writing – is particularly special.
Amy Jephta is a powerful and skilful voice. Her writing is quick and clever; multilayered and deliciously sharp. She pulls on all the insecurities and nuances of neighbourly dynamics to create something brilliantly unsettling. I’m so please to be able to share this one with Bristol”.
Speaking of the partnership, the Royal Court Theatre’s Artistic Director David Byrne said: “When we started at the Royal Court, my Executive Director, Will Young, and I made a dream list of the directors we wanted making work for our stages. One of the first people we put on that list was Nancy Medina. The chance to work with Nancy and her world class team at Bristol Old Vic to bring Amy Jephta’s astonishing play to audiences is therefore quite literally a dream come true.”
Bristol Old Vic’s commitment to upscaling new work to place it in front of a wider audience continues as the theatre partners once again with Kathy & Stella Solve a Murder! producer Francesca Moody for a summer spectacular, How To Win Against History (19 Jun – 12 Jul). This riches-to-rags musical comedy follows Henry Cyril Paget who was one of the world’s wealthiest men, until he lost it all by being too damn fabulous. How To Win Against History was the solid gold, diamond-studded hit of Edinburgh Fringe 2016, widely acclaimed by the critics and winner of The Stage Edinburgh Award. Now it’s back, in a new production, bigger and more sparkly than ever for 2025, marking the 150th anniversary of Paget’s birth.
In The Weston Studio, Playfight by Julia Grogan shines a vivid light on adolescent desire in a landscape of rising sexual violence. Produced by multi-Fringe First Award-winning team Theatre Uncut and Grace Dickson Productions and in association with Bristol Old Vic. Fizzing with razor-sharp dialogue and vital questions, the critically acclaimed Playfight marks Julia’s first solo authored play. Running from 14 – 29 Mar.
Bristol Old Vic also continues to support local artists through Spring in both the Theatre and Weston Studio. Bristol Old Vic’s latest new writing co-commission, DELAY (19 Jun – 5 Jul), co-produced with Amanda Fawcett, is the latest work by Tim X Atack and directed by Tanuja Amarasuriya, and will open in the Studio this summer. This queer sci-fi heartbreaker follows Lin, an astronaut, who speeds towards a distant planet on a pioneering mission. His only human contact is an exchange of voice messages with his lover, Silas, back on Earth. But thanks to the laws of relativity, days for the astronaut will be decades for the lover left behind. DELAY is a suspenseful, heart-wrenching yet hopeful drama about saying what you mean, and saying goodbye.
Last Rites by multi-award winning South West company Ad Infinitum (Translunar Paradise; If You Fall) takes to the Theatre stage from 15 – 19 Jul. Last Rites combines exciting physical, non-verbal storytelling with dynamic projection and an immersive soundtrack that can be felt and heard. Told through a Deaf man’s unique perspective, the show tells the passionate and poignant story of a complex relationship cut short. Last Rites marks the first collaboration between acclaimed theatre makers Ramesh Meyyappan and George Mann.
Bristol Old Vic continues to nurture artists of the future through the Young Company – now reaching its 30th anniversary. Marking that milestone, the latest production – devised by the company – is Home Ground (15 – 18 Jan). It explores friendship, football and community, and will be performed by a cast of 14 Young Company & Young SixSix members aged 14+. This production is generously supported by the theatre’s new Corporate Sponsor VWV.
VISITING WORK
Visiting work is also woven through the season beginning with Showstopper! The Improvised Musical. With 15 years as an Edinburgh Fringe must-see phenomenon, a BBC Radio 4 series, a critically acclaimed West End run and an Olivier Award to their name, a brand-new musical comedy is created from scratch at each performance. Running 29 Jan – 1 Feb.
Another Fringe smash-hit follows. Buffy Revamped (6 – 8 Feb) is a fast-paced production bringing the entire 144 episodes of the hit ’90s TV show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, to the stage, as told through the eyes of the one person who knows it inside out… Spike. Written and performed by the award-winning Brendan Murphy, this show was also the best-reviewed comedy show of the Edinburgh Fringe 2023.
In the Studio, we’re thrilled to welcome babirye bukilwa’s visceral and moving exploration of a queer Black woman’s call to arms for loving oneself when love has made itself scarce, …blackbird hour (4 – 8 Mar). Finalist of the Bruntwood Prize and Alfred Fagon Award, …blackbird hour is a profound insight into caring and belonging, serving as a continuation of bukilwa’s critically acclaimed playwrighting debut, …cake.
Cardboard Citizens return with their play Bangers from Danusia Samal (25 Feb – 1 Mar). Featuring original tracks inspired by early noughties and present-day R&B and Garage, Bangers follows the highs and lows of two strangers as they struggle with their own pasts, while hurtling towards each other’s futures
FOR CHILDREN
For children this Spring, The Showstoppers bring their improvised musical show in a kid-friendly format for one matinee performance on 1 Feb. The only rules? – there are no rules! The Showstoppers’ Kids’ Show is suitable for ages 5+. In February Half Term, DMS Productions, the award-winning creators of I Believe in Unicorns team up with Little Angel Theatre to bring us The Mystery of Bristol Old Vic – a brand new, board-game style theatre show where your skills are needed to solve this thrilling murder mystery. Team up with super sleuth Danyah Miller to navigate through secrets and surprises. From 19 – 22 Feb and suitable for anyone over 6 years.
In April, The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show returns (8 – 12 Apr) – a vibrant celebration of Eric Carle’s adored classics and the perfect introduction to live theatre for all ages. This is joined by a new classic tale The Koala Who Could, a heartwarming, funny story about dealing with change and overcoming worries, based on the book from the bestselling creators of The Lion Inside, visiting Bristol Old Vic for the first time from 14 – 19 Apr.
In the summer, back by unprecedented popular demand, Dinosaur World Live!, the 2023 hit show for ages 3+, returns to Bristol Old Vic with a roarsome, mind-expanding Jurassic adventure, live on stage from 25 – 27 Jul.
Bristol Old Vic is also continuing its hugely successful comedy nights with Spring Stand-up from acts including Jenny Eclair and Jamali Maddix. More acts to be announced later this year.
These productions join the previously announced Bristol Old Vic co-production with Belgrade Theatre and Hackney Empire of Romeo and Juliet (12 Mar – 5 Apr) – the original play, originally scored with rap and R&B; and the visiting company Talawa Theatre bringing Play On! – a jazz musical based on Twelfth Night and part of Talawa’s Black Joy season (16 – 25 Jan).
The Spring/Summer Season will go on sale to Members from 12noon on Thu 17 Oct, and on General sale at 12noon on Thu 24 Oct.
