YMT Auditions are for anyone aged 11 to 21 looking to kick-start their career in the performing arts - join the YMT 2017 Company!

You are auditioning to be part of YMT’s 2017 Summer Season where, if successful, you’ll be placed on a two/three-week project to create a brand new piece of music theatre with a team of theatre professionals. YMT projects are residential - so you'll be living away from home - and take place in July/August across the UK. The selection process is not based on geography, so you may not be placed on the course closest to where you live.

The audition is a three-hour group workshop where you’ll be led by a professional director, a musical director and a choreographer - YOU DO NOT NEED TO PREPARE ANYTHING!

BRISTOL AUDITION - SUNDAY 22 JANUARY 2017:

Session 1: 10:00 - 13:00
Session 2: 14:00 - 17:00

Created and hosted by the “sublime” and “distinctive” Talia Randall this BSL interpreted and captioned poetry cabaret features a kaleidoscope of performances, from comedians, to sign language artists and rising stars of the spoken word scene.

Performed live on Zoom, What Words Are Ours will be hosted by poetry-clown Talia Randall. She’ll be reading her upfront poetry, popping out her signature silly humour and inviting some very special guests to join her:

Featured on Boiler Room, BBC Radio, Worldwide FM and multi-talented artist Belinda Zhawi will share her stunning poems with you on the night.

Multi slam winner Jasmine Gardosi will perform her electrifying, high energy spoken word, as well as writing an on-the-spot poem based on audience suggestions.

Raffie Julien is a dancer, actor and multi-talented Deaf performer. Raffie will be performing a stunning BSL piece on the night.

Poet and disability rights champion Stephen Lightbown will be sharing a brand new poetry film made especially for the show, as well as performing his captivating poetry.

What Words Are Ours will be BSL interpreted by Becky Bary and Mia Ward. The show will be captioned by Claire Hill.

How to watch: This edition of What Words Are Ours will take place online via Zoom. When you have booked you will be sent an E-Ticket to your registered email address (please check your spam folder), which will contain the Zoom link to enable you to access the event.

Please note that each device needs one ticket each (but you are welcoming to grab a bubble buddy and join on the same device!)

Price: This event is free with a limited capacity; we recommend booking in advance.

If you have any specific requirements, please contact the Box Office at info@trinitybristol.org.uk or  0117 935 1200

Trinity and The Gulbenkian have taken the decision to support artists by paying fees for performances even when we are not charging for tickets.

Please consider donating what you can for your ticket here, to support Gulbebkian and their work during this time.

Supported by Arts Council England using National Lottery Funds.

Trinity is thinking about the future, and we want to start by hearing from the people that matter - you. We’re asking the people of Bristol to respond to the sentence ‘What I Want to Be, What I Want to See’.

We are asking you to get involved writing, drawing, making or recording something as a way to share what you want to see for yourself and the world around you, post-pandemic.

From 25th March our extended Trinity family of artists and community groups will be sharing their responses to help inspire you including Misfits Theatre sharing their ambitions for a utopian future and top tips on getting creative with artists Grove and Pete Warner.  We’ll be running a series of free workshops with artists including Rider Shafique, Vanessa Kisuule and Gerrys Attic to help you get creative in response to the theme. There will also be an opportunity to take part in socially distanced workshops in our community garden with artist Amy May Ellis to create an art-installation.

Find out more about the project and the events coming up by visiting trinitybristol.org.uk/arts

Ways to #GetInvolved

• Share any content you create with us by emailing info@trinitybristol.org.uk
• Get in touch by emailing info@trinitybristol.org.uk to find out how to drop off any physical responses at Trinity.
• Submit your content online
• Share with us directly on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter
• Share on your own social media using the hashtag #WhatIWant

If you’re located in BS2 look out for our freepost leaflet, along with a free, especially created, print by Andy Council, coming through your letterbox and post them back to us.

If you live in Newtown or St Judes, keep your eyes open for the newest team member of Trinity - S.U.S.A.N.N the socially distanced robot - who will be out on the streets collecting your responses!

Once we've gathered enough content to represent the diverse communities of the city, we’ll be working with talented local artists to create their own responses inspired by you, to be shared as part of a celebratory event later in the year and to build a lasting legacy of our shared ambitions for the future.

UK PREMIERE

You are invited to the final requiem for the last music joint left in town.

Acclaimed Australian artist Joseph O’Farrell (JOF) and Sam Halmarack combine theatre with the fist-pumping euphoria and power ballads of a stadium gig, in WE ARE LIGHTNING!, a darkly comical work that reflects on the importance of communal spaces where people can come together and express themselves.

Trinity is transformed into a music venue on the brink of closure. A teen band, a community choir and ageing rockers join JOF’s drums and Sam’s guitar to mark and protest its demise, leading audiences through a strange ceremony and heartfelt celebration of how music shapes the lives of the people who play it.

Join us for our last chance to come together and be saved by music.

“Whole Lotta Love for the spirit of live music.” The AGE

“Spirited and defiant.” Melbourne Arts

Wed 16 May, 4:00pm

Thu 17 May, 9:00pm

Fri 18 May, 9:00pm

Running time: 65 mins

Age guidance: All ages (6-106)

WE ARE LIGHTNING! is supported using public funding by Arts Council England through its Strategic Touring Fund.

Following its performance at Mayfest, WE ARE LIGHTNING! will tour to Strike a Light in Gloucester, Quarterhouse Folkestone and Derby Theatre.

Image by Pia Johnson

Viki Brown during her Hyper Fem sharing (photo credit @ Khali Ackford)

Viki shared her work: Hyper Fem in early January 2019 at Trinity. Hyper Fem asks whether the performance of femininity through Drag can be as powerful, political or subversive when performed on a female identifying body. It is strongly inspired by some of her recent previous projects which involved epic wigs and performing as a ‘make up girl in a tiny dress’.

Many people came along to Viki's sharing, including Trinity staff (photo @Khali Ackford)

The IGNiTE team attended alongside Trinity staff, industry professionals and members of Many Minds the Bristol based arts and mental health charity that Viki is a co-director of. A sharing is the opportunity for an artist to receive feedback on their work in progress and to develop the piece further. For audiences it is an opportunity to 'contextualize the artist’s vision'.

“I work alongside resident artists helping with admin and logistics. Often we talk about road blocks they are facing and their '’break though moments'’. Because of this when I'm given the opportunity to see sharing's I jump at the chance. It gives me the opportunity to push my boundaries and offer perspective that may not come from the artist’s typical audience. ” - Ripley, Admin Assistant

Viki interacts with the audience after her sharing of 'Hyper Fem' (photo @Khali Ackford)

Looking back on her residency Viki says: "Developing ‘Hyper Fem’ at Trinity has been an incredible opportunity for me. I find the building, its history and its placement in the city truly inspiring. It's political past and its dedication to the multiple communities who use the space have challenged me to think and dream bigger than ever before. I felt safe, supported and welcome in the building which after two weeks of working there started to feel like a second home. We are now excited to begin the next phase of the project: finding partners and commissioners to work with on the show!”

In March and April welcome Roxana Vilk whose residency will focus on the lullabies families cross Bristol sing to their children.

Vicki Hearne is part of this years cohort of  IGNiTE artists in residence (photo @Megan Ashton)

Alexa Ledecky, our very awesome project assistant on our IGNiTE programme, went along to IGNiTE resident artist Vicki Hearne's sharing of the work she is developing here at Trinity - sharing's are an opportunity for artists to receive feedback about their work.

Read on to find out Alexa's thoughts about 'Practically Perfect'.

Last month, Vicki Hearne and her Untold Dance Theatre fellow female performers brought their work in progress to Trinity for a sharing session. Audience members were invited to attend the performance for free and encouraged to share their feeling and impressions about the ideas that have been developed so far. Vicki has been working on “Practically Perfect” as part of her IGNiTE residency with Trinity since early September.

"Unity definitely shone through the dancers and musicians during the performance."

The show uses dance and theatre to explore how most women are often pushed to mould their body into an idea of perfection that society dictates. As the performance began, the lights dimmed and two musicians sat by the side of the scene set the atmosphere with an acoustic guitar and synth live soundtrack. The dancers entered, carried by the ethereal melody and began to tell us their story. A recurring theme became apparent: the female body being objectified with harsh humour and sarcasm.

Vicki had several solid scenes to present to the audience. To mention a few without giving too much away; robotic Barbie dolls, a restaurant serving perfect female bodies on a platter, a “cooking” class on how to make a flawless woman. All those scenes involved folding, crushing bodies and treating them like objects, quite literally making them submit to society’s vision of perfection. The audience was also very receptive to the challenging subjects tackled and invited Untold Dance Theatre to go deeper and make them feel even more uncomfortable. The exploration of a serious subject did not cut out artistic creativity. Each scene was different and the audience stated it will be interesting to see how the “chaos binds with the more flowy parts” in the final performance. Discussing the overall tone of the show, a viewer pointed out: “There are kitsch moments, but those were so precise and clean. The comedy helps with the more earthy parts”.

Vicki and the cast listened to the audience with poise, eager to use this sharing session to develop “Practically Prefect” further. Some open expectations were expressed: “The rhythm was building into something that was establishing. I would like to see everyone go completely wild at some point”. The viewers repeatedly showed excitement about finding out the answers in the finished piece: “What happens the the reject; are they ‘put right’ or are they ‘celebrated for being imperfect’?”.

A woman concluded the discussion by encouraging to celebrate our imperfections rather than to condemn them: “We don’t have to be whole as an individual, we’re whole as a group”. One thing is for certain - unity definitely shone through the dancers and musicians during the performance.

The sharing of the work took place in Trinity's Ffye Hall (photo @Megan Ashton)

Stay tuned for updates on Vicki Hearne and our three other artist residents here on our website.

IGNiTE is supported using public funding by Bristol City Council and by the National Lottery through Arts Council England

Velvet Petal explores the transformative power of beauty, created out of whatever is on the bedroom floor. The dancers experiment, seduce and philosophise through their bodies, clothing and ideas. This fresh new work from Scottish Dance Theatre’s Artistic Director Fleur Darkin is inspired by the life-cycle of the monarch butterfly and Robert Mapplethorpe’s polaroids. Set to a fresh dance-punk score arranged by Torben Lars Sylvest, including music by LCD Soundsystem, Spoek Mathambo and Four Tet.

Scottish Dance Theatre is Scotland’s principal contemporary dance company and is fast becoming one of the foremost contemporary dance companies in Europe. SDT is a research engine for dance, and commission the most exciting choreographers to make original and exclusive works that they bring to Scotland and the world.

★★★★★ “Lively, playful and gutsy and guaranteed to put a spring in your step” Edinburgh Festivals Magazine

★★★★ “A truly compelling piece, exquisitely performed” The Stage

★★★★ “Darkin’s choreography is fresh and clever” The Wee Review

★★★★ "An erotic and electrifying dance-drama" Edinburgh Guide

Wed 16 May, 7:00pm*

Thu 17 May, 7:00pm

Fri 18 May, 7:00pm

Running time: 65 mins

Age guidance: 14+

*Following the performance of Velvet Petal on Wednesday 16 May, Bristol-based band Mesadorm will bring their leftfield melodies and warm vocal harmonies to the Trinity Centre. This five-piece is the new collaborative project of Blythe Pepino, formerly of London Art Pop trio, Vaults. Mesadorm walk the line between pop and experimentation, drawing from a palette of electronica, dance and visual art.

Image by Brian Hartley

Paradise City

Over ten days IGNiTE summer residents Back in 5 Minutes Squad and Art in Motion will be creating an evolving installation up in our Fyfle Hall.

This is super exciting as Spike Island Residents  - Back in 5 Minutes Squad and emerging not-for-profit participatory arts organisation Art in Motion (AIM) will be collaborating for the first time for this project.

Evolving over the ten days of the residency these two diverse groups will collaborate to portray their vision of an ideal, egalitarian future in which humans of all types and abilities coexist peacefully and purposefully together - the fabric of this future city will reflect the diverse and idiosyncratic interests of all the artists involved.

From Monday 19 the artists invite you to visit during this exciting process and Paradise City will be open to everyone for a celebration event from 5-7pm in the Graffiti Room at Trinity on Thursday 29 June.

Paradise City is supported by Arts Council England via Grants for the Arts and by Trinity Community Arts.

tiata fahodzi presents EVERYWHERE - a triple bill of short plays presented together, driven by a provocation about what we do in what spaces matter.

Drama and conflict are things that we experience as humans everywhere beyond the limitations of a theatre space, and these 3 commissioned writers are exploring what that means to them in short form. Working with brilliant actors and creatives, the triple bill 30-minute pieces will bring some of best established and emerging talent from theatre to tell original and diverse stories that take us from displacement to maternity wards.

The EVERYWHERE triple bills are very much about instigating conversations and curiosity between artists and audiences.

Writers include Yusra Warsama, Magero and Anyebe.

DEAL - 2 tickets for £13 Book HERE

This show is part of Trinity Presents, showcasing the best of performance.

Tree House

By Chris Fogg

Tree House is a story of love and dreams, promises and betrayals, hope and redemption, shot through with warmth, humour and compassion.

It relates the fortunes of three people – Robbie, Jane and Alan – whom we first encounter as children playing in a tree house on a piece of waste ground on the edge of a village. We then follow each of them as they navigate their way along the different rungs of the social and property ladder: Jane goes into law, politics and the media; Alan pursues a career in property, finance and the City; while Robbie joins the Army, carries out a number of tours of duty in Afghanistan, defusing roadside bombs, where a spontaneous act of kindness leads to a sudden and unexpected tragedy.

Some years later fate conspires to bring all three back to the waste ground, back to the tree house, where old scores are settled in a final act of reckoning.

A story for our times. A play for today.

Responses to Tree House:

“… looks at life’s moving parts through a watchmaker’s loupe. Shows how the tiniest elements can affect the whole mechanism, meshing apparently disparate details, making them not just tick, but unexpectedly chime.” Quentin Cooper, broadcaster and journalist, former presenter of BBC Radio 4’s The Material World

“Gripping and poignant.” Kate Wood, Artistic Director, Activate

“Evokes fundamental questions of now, who we are and where we are inside ourselves…” Mark Bruce, winner of Sky Arts/South Bank Award 2014

“Chris Fogg is a master at seeing the extraordinary in the everyday bits and pieces of modern life. I have an inextinguishable admiration for his gentle politic, for his ability to weave an apparently simple idea into a thoughtful reflection of what we should value most. This is quietly urgent work.” Gavin Stride, Director Farnham Maltings, house and caravan

Transference

Have you ever wanted to wear a robot? Or wondered how the lyrics in songs get you dancing? Perhaps you've found yourself moving in sync with everyone around you?

We're looking for curious and playful participants to come and take part in a one off and groundbreaking live research event that might just get everyone dancing. Created by the award-winning Guerilla Dance Project, no previous dance or movement experience is necessary in order to take part. Just bring along with you an energy and openness to see what happens on the night!

Please Note: Participants should be aware that the event is being filmed and that any data gathered will be used for non-commercial academic research. The Trinity Centre is accessible to wheelchair users. For more information please click HERE.

Transference is a collaborative project created by Guerilla Dance Project, Cambridge University, Exeter University and Watershed. It has been funded through the Being There EPSRC research project.

Tickets are free but should be reserved in advance.

Last year we very excitedly launched our in- house Theatre and Dance and programme - IGNiTE. Our aim - to curate  an exciting programme of work that would resonate with everyone who uses and lives around Trinity.

Thanks to funding from Arts Council, an amazing team,  our programming forum (who have helped steer the programme throughout the year) and every artist, audience member and participant our first step into the world of programming world class theatre and dance , supporting artists to crete new work and ensuring our community benefits from artistic excellence .... has been great.

So while we sit back and make plans for our next programme we thought we'd share some of the best moments and successes.

1.Vicki Igbokwe talking to us about the power of dance

2.  Cardboard Citizens challenging us all in the Forum Theatre section of Cathy.

3. Selling nearly half of all our ticket at concessions rate

4. Meaning that our audiences are reflective of Bristol's inclusive and diverse communities

5. Rider Shafique blowing us away with his solo performance of I-Dentity

6. 1500+ people watching, taking part, dancing, asking questions and celebrating with us

7.  Afreena Islam's honest performance to a room full of our regular centre users

8. Supporting six artists and companies with community & participation at the core of their practice to develop work and deliver workshops at Trinity

9. All the people who stayed for the Q+A's and took part in sometimes difficult but always provoking conversations

Read more about IGNiTE here

Tweet me

Part TED talk, part history lecture, part folk club sing-a-long, part storytelling session… Come and share in these tales as they have been shared for generations.

See here for more information and frequently asked questions page.

Part TED talk, part history lecture, part folk club sing-a-long, part storytelling session… Come and share in these tales as they have been shared for generations.

See here for more information and frequently asked questions page.