Various showings between Friday 7th and Saturday 22nd May 2010 @ Various Venues, Bristol

Bristol’s showpiece festival of contemporary theatre is back, bigger, bolder, brighter, braver and more beautiful than ever. Mayfest 2010 promises to be another unforgettable fortnight of new, physical, visual, experimental and, all importantly, brilliant theatre from an eclectic mix of over 40 local, national and international artists.

Theatre on stages, theatre on pavements, theatre in shops, parks and supermarkets. Casts and audiences of hundreds; casts and audiences of one. Be entertained, moved, provoked and inspired. Share drinks, chats, opinions and ideas.

This is Mayfest’s seventh year and things are really pointing towards this one to be an absolute classic. There is a wealth of fantastic shows available but here are a handful of our absolute top picks:

Mayfest 2010 Launch Party
Fri 7th May @ Bristol Old Vic
A huge party full of theatre and music to welcome in the festivities with the excellent Pepino playing live.

Internal
Sun 9th until Tue 11th May
Anyone who saw The Smile Off Your Face, the utterly mesmerising and life changing show by Ontroerend Goed at last year’s festival, will know this one is not to be missed.

6:0 How Heap And Pebble Took On The World And Won
Mon 10th until Thu 13th May @ The Brewery
Dancing Brick are back! 2009’s 21:13 was the best piece of theatre SY Magazine saw anywhere all last year and we hear this one is just as charming, funny, poignant, beautiful and memorable.

Sporadical
Wed 12th May @ Bristol Old Vic Paintshop
Described as an “Epic Cardboard Folk Opera”, Little Bulb Theatre’s new show will no doubt make you laugh more than anything at this year’s Mayfest.

Electric Hotel
Wed 19th until Sat 22nd May @ Bristol Harbourside
They are building a 3-storey hotel with a glass wall for us to look inside on the side of the harbour for this. Think about that. Insane. Insane and unmissable.

SS Arcadia
Tue 18th until Sat 22nd May @ Secret City Centre Location
Stand and Stare Collective invite you to enter their immersive world of bizarre, wonderful and sometimes dark truths about love, light entertainment and humanity.

Keepers
Tue 18th and Wed 19th May @ Tobacco Factory Theatre
Two man live in a lighthouse 200 years ago in a stunningly tale of companionship. I defy anyone not to fall in love with this beautiful play.

The Human Computer
Wed 19th and Thu 20th May @ Bristol Old Vic Studio
Will Adamsdale is building a reputation as a consistently poetic, poignant and very funny performer who doesn’t shy away from asking big questions.

Wondermart
Fri 7th until Sat 22nd May @ Any Supermarket
Rotozaza are back with another of their trademark, intimate and playful audio performance experiences. Wondermart takes a mischievous swipe at the dominance of supermarket culture and consumerism.

And there is still much, much, much, much more on offer. Get down and get involved in a fantastic festival that Bristol is so lucky to have.

www.mayfestbristol.co.uk