Peek a Booth!

Here's a collection of brilliant images from the Peek-a-Booth photobooth at Electric Garden during Mayfest to give you a taste of the fun and shenanigans going on at Rolling Stage's latest party.

Patch Things Up, Make Amends, Our Hearts are still Beating

Finally Search Party's semaphone marathon, Save Me, has reached its conclusion. For 2 hours for 10 days Pete and Jodie stood at either end of a portion of Bristol's Floating Harbour squinting at eachother in a painstakingly slow but utterly captivating and beautiful conversation. Between the 5th and 15th of May some of the topics discussed without one word being uttered were seperated twins, messages in bottles, long-distance telephone calls, the wind, home, and the Apollo 11 astronaunt Michael Collins. Below you can read exactly what was communicated via semaphone during Mayfest (click on each chalk board image to enlarge):

Monday 9th

Tuesday 10th

300ft Up Bristol looks like a Model Village

It was Saturday 14th May and Fortnight (two weeks of letters, texts, emails, tweets and treasure-hunts) finally drew to a close. Proto-Type weren't going to let it all end quietly though and sure enough, sticking to the proverb of saving the best till last, Fortnight participants were treated to a very special party in the sky across the entire top floor of one of Bristol's very tallest buildings, Castlemead. There was laughing, chatting, dancing, boozing and much admiring of the view. It was a great and very poignant way to end this special project with the city all the participants had been exploring and getting to know a little better now laid down beneath them all like a model village. Here are a few pics from the night:

A Costume Drama

Bryony Kimmings is a little bit of a nutcase. Here are a few images of her in a range of incredibly vibrant costumes, some of which feature in her new show, Sex Idiot, opening tonight at Mayfest 2011.

The many Changing Faces of Doug Francisco

Ringmaster of The Invisible Circus, Doug Francisco brings his new solo show, The Invisible Journey, to Mayfest this year.

Distance makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Five days in and the sumptuous Save Me is captivating Bristol audiences. Don't forget to get yourself down to the city centre fountains this week between 11am and 1pm to engage with and enjoy this beautiful celebration of communitcation.

Here's what Search Party's Pete and Jodie have been saying so far through semaphore (click on the chalkboard images to enlarge).

Thursday 5th

Friday 6th

The Pill Whalers

Twas a dark and stormy nigh' and all 'round thar old Tobacco Fact'ry place, Mayfest werr despra'tly searchin' for a seashanty band to perform at Sunday nigh's post-Tales From a Sea Journey Sea Shanties and Fish n' Chips do.

A local Seashanty Festival warr hoggin' all the talent but jus' when Mayfest was thinkin' they'd haav to let excited seashanty fans down, none other than The Pill Whalers strolled in. Arrivin' jus' as audience members, the proper Wes'country foursome agreed to perform and by end ar the nigh' were regaling the Fact'ry masses with beautiful old songs o' ship-masts and maidens while the rest of us tucked into delicious Fishminster fish n' chips.

Duckumentation

For those of you taking part in Fortnight this Mayfest, Duckumentation and this montage of images will be old news. For those of you not taking part, this is a little window into the some of the fun you're missing out on. It might all be pretty baffling but if I explained it to non-Fortnight participants, well, I'd have to kill you. Quack!

Building The Blind Tiger

Tonight at 9.30pm Mayfest's very own festival speakeasy, The Blind Tiger, will open its doors for the very first time to the public. Located in the Basement of the Bristol Old Vic, the Tiger's cubs have been hard at work over the past few days frantically putting this new bar/venue together. Here's a little taster of the Basement's transformation and a look around what promises to be one of the real unique highlights of Mayfest 2011:

 

Aint no Party like a Mayfest Party!

The wait is over – Mayfest 2011 is finally here! And what better way to celebrate than at a huge Opening Party at the Bristol Old Vic featuring live music, singing, a robot disco, bacon sandwiches and the usual high jinx? It’s tonight from 7.30pm and it’s completely free!

And to help you get in the mood for 10 days of exciting and playful contemporary theatre, here are 10 photographs to whet your appetite for Mayfest 2011:

Spellbinding Stories from the World's Saltiest Stage

In November 2009, 8 members of NIE embarked on a journey across the Atlantic. They boarded the Fort St. Louis in Le Havre, France, and sailed for 7.5 days to Point à Pitre in the Caribbean. It was an exciting journey, sometimes uncomfortable, challenging and even boring, but always inspiring. Each passenger went on board carrying 3 stories and 3 songs. They waited for the open sea and then began sharing and discussing how it felt and what it meant to travel like this.

Here are some photographs from their adventure which became their latest show, Tales From a Sea Journey: