The Wardrobe Ensemble launches new festival: THE THEATRE ON THE DOWNS from August-October

Photo credit: Matthew Whittle

To celebrate its 10th Anniversary, The Wardrobe Ensemble have organised a new ambitious theatre festival which will run from August to October at The Theatre on the Downs. 

The Theatre on the Downs is a new venue designed by Studio Three Sixty, previously known as pop-up venue The Mix. The Wardrobe Ensemble will strive to create opportunities for South West artists and the new venue provides Bristol with a new local theatre scene to celebrate. 

Kicking of the festival will be The Wardrobe Ensemble’s Winners, a fast-food filled theatrical extravaganza that explores capitalism, monopoly and money and the shift of labour in the history of food from farming to fast food, running from 10 – 28 August. 

The Wardrobe Ensemble said: ”We started talking about this idea at the end of last summer as we imagined what might come next for theatre. We knew that the thing we wanted to do the most was to make a new show and perform it to live audiences, and we thought that other companies in the South West might want that too. So, we created this very ambitious project which has had many different permutations along the way as we tried to wrangle it into being. We are so excited (and a little bit scared) to finally announce it and make it happen.

“This is the biggest thing The Wardrobe Ensemble has ever tried to pull off and we still need help. Please do get in touch if you feel able to support us. And if you are a South West artist with something that you think might work at The Theatre on the Downs, let us know - we are still programming the space and want to fill it with as much exciting work as possible! “

The Wardrobe Ensemble will also are also offering a brand-new commission of £10,000 for a South West based artist or company to develop a new piece of theatre. The successful applicant will also receive one-to-one sessions with members of The Wardrobe Ensemble and the option to a programming slot in September. Applications are open here.  

The opening night of The Theatre on the Downs will be a launch party featuring the game show The Wardrobe Ensembwheel of Fortune, with special guests and prizes. 

Other shows in the programme are The Star Seekers also by The Wardrobe Ensemble, which was last seen at the National Theatre in 2018 and is a family show that begs the question: What do astronauts really have for dinner?! This will be staged from 18 – 21 August. Then Bicycle Boy by Helen Eastman and Alex Silverman is an outdoor bicycle powered eco-musical running 14 & 15 August.

Beach Baby by Wilderbeast will show from 27 – 29 August and is an enchanting show for 0-3 year olds, Wild Swimming by FullRogue follows from 31 August – 4 September and is an interrogation of gender and privilege and a willfully ignorant history of English Literature. 

A take on Beauty on the Beast will follow by Living Spit from 14 – 18 September in their two-man musical comedy style. Theatre Bristol will then present Theatre Bristol Assembly:Mistake Boutique on 15 September, this will take place in person on The Theatre on the Downs on Clifton Downs. 

Further shows are to be added to the programme in due course.

For more information and to book tickets, please click here.