Bristol Old Vic announce bumper new season

Bristol Old Vic announce bumper new season

Posted on: 19 Apr 2023

The new season, which begins in October, will be the new Artistic Director Nancy Medina’s first with classic tales, exciting new stories and family productions all featured.

 

Bristol Old Vic’s brand-new season begins in October 2023 and runs until February 2024 with over ten productions planned.

 

Speaking about her first-ever season as the Artistic Director of Bristol Old Vic (taking over from Tom Morris who bowed out in 2022), Nancy Medina has said: "This season of plays shows that we can't do things alone - we are stronger together" – we’re pretty excited and you should be too!

 

Find out more about the brand-new season at Bristol Old Vic from the theatre’s website.

 

 

Opening the season at the main theatre in October is Choir Boy, written by Academy Award Winner Tarell Alvin McCraney (Moonlight) and directed by BOV Artistic Director, Nancy Medina. It is an exciting tale of Pharus: a young, black, queer student leading the prestigious gospel choir at his elite, all-boys prep school in America.

 

This tender, coming-of-age story is accompanied by soul-stirring acapella gospel hymns and spirituals. It is a beautiful, joyous play about what it means to march to your own drum. Find out more here.

 

Next up, between November and January, is Arabian Nights, written by Sonali Bhattacharyya and directed by Blanche McIntyre. An Arabian Nights for the modern age, this magic and uniting tale features a daring heroine, captivating songs and a timeless story. Find out more here.

 

Running between February and March, Starter For Ten is a new musical based on the novel by David Nicholls with a book and lyrics from Emma Hall and Charlie Parham – who also directs the piece. 

 

This bright, big-hearted production follows 18-year-old Brian Jackson and features an irresistible original soundtrack inspired by the riotous student scene of the 80s. This coming-of-age comedy is about love, belonging and the difference between knowledge and wisdom. Find out more here.

 

Next up (in September) is the new comedy musical Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder from the Olivier Award-winning team behind Fleabag and more. BFFs Kathy and Stella host Hull’s least successful true-crime podcast but when their favourite author is killed, they are thrust into a thrilling and complicated whodunnit of their own! Find out more here.

Nancy Medina, new Artistic Director of Bristol Old Vic (Image: Barbara Evripidou)

 

Running in January is Kafka’s Metamorphosis; a collaboration between Frantic Assembly and Lemn Sissay OBE. One morning Gregor Samsa awakes to find himself changed. To those around him, he is dangerous, untouchable vermin. Worse than that, he is a burden.

 

Combining the fluid lyricism of Lemn Sissay’s adaptation and Frantic’s uncompromising physicality, this is set to be an unmissable retelling of Franz Kafka’s shocking tale of cruelty and kindness; a visceral and vital depiction of humans struggling within a system that crushes them under its heel. Find out more here.

 

Running between January and February 2024, Shakespeare’s classic play Macbeth is coming to Bristol Old Vic, presented by English Touring Theatre. In a struggling and divided nation, tearing itself apart, the Macbeths see their chance at the crown – why shouldn’t they take it?

 

This visceral and contemporary new production from ETT sees Shakespeare’s legendary tragedy speak to today’s world, why has Macbeth haunted our fears and nightmares for centuries, and what lesson is this cautionary tale still urgently trying to teach us? Find out more here.

 

Running in February, Black Is The Colour Of My Voice is presented by James Seabright and written and performed by Apphia Campbell. Inspired by the life of Nina Simone and featuring many of her iconic songs, this acclaimed play follows a successful singer and civil rights activist’s redemption after the death of her father. Find out more here.

 

 

There is also a busy programme of productions taking place in The Weston Studio throughout the upcoming Bristol Old Vic season, take a look at the complete lineup here.

 

Bristol Old Vic’s brand-new season begins in October 2023 and runs until February 2024, for a comprehensive look at what’s coming up at the UK’s longest-continuously-running theatre, head to the website.

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Article by:

Stanley Gray

Stan is a born and bred Bristolian, recently graduated from studying English Literature in Sheffield. His passions are music and literature and he spends the majority of his time in venues all over the city, immersing himself in Bristol’s alternative music scene. A lifelong Bristol City fan, Stan’s Saturdays are spent watching his team both home and away.