Adult Company Autumn Term 2026 goes on sale on Wed 27 May at 10am.
Autumn Term 2026 — 10 weeks
Adult Company starts: Thursday 24 September
Half Term (no sessions): Thursday 29 October
Adult Company ends: Thursday 3 December
Session time: Thursdays, 7—9pm
About the Term
Taking inspiration from the upcoming Bristol Old Vic production of Lanny, this term we will explore the possibilities of adaptation. How might a piece of text transform from page to stage through collaboration, experimentation and ensemble play?
Set in a contemporary English village 'not on any real map', Lanny is a world where myth and modernity collide. It opens up questions around community, storytelling, memory, parenthood, grief and belonging. Throughout the term, we will unpack the novel’s inherent theatricality, investigating how language, rhythm and image can become live performance.
Using devising as a foundation, sessions will use ensemble work, chorus, physical theatre, text analysis, improvisation, soundscape and character creation to investigate what it means to bring a novel to life.
Adult Company Director: Paige Stevens
Paige is a Bristol-based theatre director, facilitator, and maker with a passion for devised and co-created theatre.
She has worked with National Theatre, Bath Theatre Academy, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, and Bristol Old Vic, while also creating original work for both adult and family audiences.
In 2025, she was Young Company Trainee Director at Bristol Old Vic, and delivered workshops for participants of all ages and experience levels across the South West. In this role, she directed Brain Play as part of the NT Connections festival and How Do You Sleep At Night?, a piece co-created with the Young Company.
Paige’s practice is rooted in collaboration, curiosity, and inclusivity, creating joyful and empowering spaces for participants to explore and tell their own stories.
Bursaries
We have a limited number of bursary grants that are available in cases of genuine hardship for anyone who will struggle to pay Adult Company fees. Bursaries should be applied for when booking opens on Wed 27 May at 10am.
Applying for a bursary means we automatically reserve you a space for Adult Company, so you do not need to make a paid booking in addition to your bursary application, and you will have the option to buy your reserved place if your bursary application is not successful.
If you'd like to apply for a bursary, please email getinvolved@bristololdvic.org.uk for more information.
