Preview: Mayfest 2018

“Mayfest was born out of Bristol’s very distinct creative culture – most notably its spirit of independence, of adventure and innovation. There are a vast number of artists living and working here and creating projects for all sorts of contexts. For us, Mayfest is a sort of meeting point and provocateur. We’re following what’s tasty – and adding in new ingredients each time.”

Kate Yedigaroff, the festival’s joint artistic director, is spelling out what makes Mayfest – Bristol’s world-renowned celebration of adventurous, thought-provoking theatre – the phenomenon it is.

Spilling out across the city, Mayfest playfully – and sometimes provocatively – champions extraordinary new work from artists with distinct voices, for audiences, whoever they are. From the classical architecture of St George’s to the nightclubs of Old Market, this year’s Mayfest invites audiences to come together, play along and take a moment to reflect.

The Bristol-based British Paraorchestra give Mayfest the world premiere of their new work ‘The Nature of Why’

2018 highlights include the world premiere of The British Paraorchestra’s new work The Nature of Why. Taking inspiration from the unconventional curiosity of Nobel prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman, and his search for meaning in the world around us, The Nature of Why brings together dance and live music into an epic and beautiful performance.

Highlights from overseas include the UK debut of Japanese company Contact Gonzo, whose jaw-dropping physical style will thrill audiences at Jacob’s Wells Baths on May 12 and 13.

Elsewhere, direct from an acclaimed off-Broadway run, Nova Scotia’s 2b theatre company bring Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, a deliciously dark folk tale woven together with a blistering Klezmer-folk gig. Let’s Not Beat Each Other To Death, from fellow Nova Scotians The Accidental Mechanics Group, is a genre-defying play/memorial/electro-pop dance party and a celebration of LGBTQ people around the world. And the UK premiere of We Are Lightning! by Joseph O’Farrell and Sam Halmarack takes over Trinity with a cast of nearly 100, including a huge choir, a brass band and a teen band.

Sam Halmarack and Joseph O’Farrell’s ‘We Are Lightning’

Elsewhere, Bristol’s rich artistic landscape plays out in rude health: Sabrina Shirazi’s Choral Cuisine is a sonorous dining experience in a coffee roastery where a two-course meal becomes an opportunity to create music while you dine; in Draw to Look, Hannah Sullivan invites you to join her in the simple and deliberate act of looking and noticing through drawing; and there’s a world premiere for Undersong, a major new work by the wonderful Verity Standen.

Verity Standen’s ‘Undersong’

The ever-innovative Ridiculusmus make a welcome return to Mayfest, with a rare opportunity to see the full trilogy of their work focusing on mental health. Also returning to the festival is acclaimed artist/performer/agitator Scottee with Bravado, his blistering memoir of working-class masculinity, performed at Jack of Diamonds on Old Market. Younger audiences, meanwhile, should make a beeline for Snigel and Friends by Caroline Bowditch and Bristol’s very own Drag Queen Story Time.

Drag Queen Story Time

The festival’s programme emerges from conversations with artists and producers, from months travelling the world to find the best new theatre and performance. Sometimes these scouting trips are almost theatre in themselves.

“I saw Theatre Replacement’s Town Criers (the solo version of Town Choir, which they’re bringing to Mayfest) way up in the Yukon, northern Canada,” recalls Kate’s fellow artistic director, Matthew Austin. “It was in this tiny town called Whitehorse, a two-hour flight from Vancouver – surrounded by mountains. In June, when I was there, it’s light pretty much round the clock.

“The idea behind Town Criers is similar to Town Choir, which they’re bringing to Mayfest: writers from around the world type text that is spoken by a local resident. I watched a woman from the Philippines perform text written by her daughter on the other side of the world. An experience I’ll never forget.”

Theatre Replacement’s ‘Town Choir’

Is the last month before the festival actually one of the calmest times – shows booked, website up and running? Or is there plenty more work to do – artists to house, venues to adapt etcetera? “Ha! Yes, for the two months leading up to the festival we tend to spend half of each working day in a spa, gently fanning ourselves with Mayfest brochures,” Kate jokes.

“No, it remains extremely busy. Once we’ve said out loud what we are going to do there is all the detail and decoration of actually making it happen. From housing artists to adapting venues to firefighting last minute, er, challenges and just generally responding to the shape-shifting nature of a festival.”

Contact Gonzo. Pic: Anja Beutler

So, how has the balance of Bristol and international acts evolved over Mayfest’s history? Matthew: “We were looking through old Mayfest brochures the other day and picked out 2008’s, our first year as Artistic Directors and the year it became a city-wide festival.

“And we noticed that the balance between local and national/international was heavily weighted towards Bristol. There were some artists and companies who are still making work here today – people like Duncan Speakman, Action Hero and Tom Marshman – and some who have moved on to other things.

Caroline Bowditch and Company’s ‘Snigel and Friends’. Pic: Eoin Carey

“This year’s programme features eight local artists, which in a programme of 22 shows demonstrates that Bristol’s theatre-makers are generating lots of excellent work.” But that international strand has grown – and with good reason. “Bristol’s landscape has changed a lot since 2008, and even more so since 2003. There’s a gap in the city for presentation of really excellent international theatre that isn’t readily available year-round.

“Mayfest has evolved into being a way for audiences to see home-grown theatre alongside shows from all over the world. It feels like Mayfest’s role is as much about bringing work into the city for Bristolians to enjoy, as it is about showcasing the phenomenal, radical work being made by the artists who make their lives here.”

Mayfest 2018 takes place from May 10-20 at venues across town. For more information and to book tickets, visit www.mayfestbristol.co.uk

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