There’s a free immersive fantasy carnival returning to the centre next week
Posted on: 21 Mar 2024Carnifolk, or Carving’s Carnival, an immersive fantasy theatre experience at the Volunteer Tavern, is returning to Bristol next Thursday, 28 March.
The Volunteer Tavern – or Volly, to regulars – is a beloved pub tucked away on the edges of Old Market. The first Living Wage pub in Bristol, the Volly is known for an independent spirit, and a vibrant calendar of events.
Now, that calendar just got even better as the audience favourite immersive fantasy theatre experience, Carnifolk, is returning to the Volly just in time for their Easter Beer Festival.
Carnifolk describe themselves as “an ancient festival celebrating the magic of music and community”. You might describe it as a mini-festival in the mould of something like Shambala, or Boomtown – with some describing it as a “cross between Boomtown and Dungeons & Dragons”.
Carving’s Carnival takes place in a fantastical 13th Century, when the Volunteer Tavern would have stood at the very edge of what was at the time called “Brycgstow”. In the world of Carnifolk, Brycgstow is controlled by the right-wing, draconican “Conservatorium” (read: Conservative Party) – and Carving’s Carnival is set up outside the walls of Brycgstow to fight for love, community and nature.
The event is a mixture of walkabout theatre and stage performance, with a big emphasis on audience interactions. Punters can chat with characters and perform silly quests for an in-world currency they can use to play games or trade for keepsakes and art pieces in the shop.
The entire event is also scored by a continuous, improvised jam – an impressive feat seeing as the event stretches over three hours – and music is often core to the stories and quests that take place. For instance, the show usually ends with a rousing sing-along call to raise a glass and “sing, smile and cry” – an offer the audience accept with wild abandon.
Carnifolk returns to the Volunteer Tavern next Thursday, 28 March. For more information, or to keep up with Carnifolk, check out their Instagram here, and their Facebook here.
Read more:
-
Immersive: How you can get your art transformed into a Wake The Tiger exhibition
-
Festivals: UPFEST launch new Crowdfunder and announce headline artist for 2024
Article by:
Patrick is a filmmaker with so much Bristol in his blood the white blood cells are graffiti'd. Educated at the Northern Film School in Leeds, he’s returned home to be a Videographer and Reviewer for 365Bristol and BARBI. When he’s not messing about with cameras, he enjoys playing guitar, spending far too much time on tabletop RPGs, and being an awful snob about cider. Have a look at his work here, or get in touch at patrickb@365bristol.com.
