This weekend’s Mayfest treats

Can you believe we’re more than half way through our programme already? It’s been an epic week here at MAYK HQ and we’re gearing up for what’s set to be a mega last few days of Mayfest.

This weekend we’re heading outside with the UK Premiere of Kaleider’s Arch (Bristol Harbourside), Tania El Khoury’s Memory of Birds (St George Park), Sylvia Rimat and Charli Clark’s Broad Meadow (Broadmead) and Esther May Campbell and Kitchen Photo Club’s Anything Moving, What Remains (St Anne’s Woods).

Just a heads up, Memory of Birds is nearly sold out and we have one ticket left for the 20.45 film trail and screening of Anything Moving, What Remains, so do join us for your chance to experience Mayfest in nature, together.

Sell out warning…

Goner

Thu 23 - Fri 24 May, The Mount Without
Pay what you can. Recommended price £15
Book tickets

“Who would have thought that dance, horror, culture, and crimson cowboy chaps could come together in such a nuanced offering?” Dance Art Journal

Experience a sensuous, suspense-filled and fearsome choreographic journey into the psychological depths of horror. A radical visual culture from the marginalised perspective, and a teasing out of a Black tradition of horror for the live context.

Word is this is likely to be Malik’s last solo show for a while, so don’t miss out.

Memory of Birds

Fri 24 - Sun 26 May, The Mount Without
Pay what you can. Recommended price £15
Book tickets

An interactive sound installation in trees in collaboration with a trauma therapist and migrating birds. Memory of Birds explores the political violence that literally and figuratively gets buried in contested lands. A work that eats itself, designed to be forgotten.

Opening this weekend

Shades of Colour

Fri 24 May, Bristol Old Vic Weston Studio
Pay what you can. Recommended price £10
Book tickets

In this immersive piece, Bristol musicians Irish Mellow, Iambee and EJ:AKIN work together with visual artist Holly Mingo to guide you through a mesmerising journey through sonic landscapes and stunning visual illustrations. 

Curated by Marley Small.

In partnership with Saffron Records.

Memories: Spoken, Summoned, Seen

Sat 25 May, Bristol Old Vic
Pay what you can. Recommended price £10
Book tickets

Aish Humphreys presents an eclectic evening of spoken word and multidisciplinary performance art from Arun Sood, Biogal, and Raina Griefer, exploring stories of marginalised identities and how they evoke memory through performance.

Curated by Aish Humphreys.

In partnership with Rising Arts Agency.

The End

Fri 24 - Sun 26 May, Trinity Centre
Pay what you can. Recommended price £15
Book tickets

“Both insistently silly and unreservedly heart-rending” Guardian ★★★★

Bert and Nasi dance the end of their relationship, imagining what a future without each other might look like. Above the stage and projected onto a screen, two parallel narratives run alongside each other: the end of the Earth and the end of their collaboration.

A poignant, sad and funny account of the ongoing ecological crisis, and a celebration of our own mortality, and that of everything around us.

Broad Meadow

Fri 24 - Thu 20 June May, Broadmead
FREE
Book tickets

Step into the lost nature of Broadmead – a colourful, tranquil wildflower meadow and audio experience amidst the hustle and bustle of Bristol’s commercial centre. Smell the sweet scent of flowers, hear the buzz of wings and submerge yourself in the lost nature of the city.

The Making of Pinocchio

Fri 24 - Sat 25 May, Bristol Old Vic
Pay what you can. Recommended price £18
Book tickets

A true tale of love and transition told through the story of Pinocchio. Set in a fictional film studio, you are invited to go behind the scenes of Cade & MacAskill’s creative process and their relationship, and question what it takes to tell your truth.

TOP TIP: Catch two shows in one night by heading to The Making of Pinocchio then making your way to Arch soon after!

The UK Premiere of Arch is here

Arch by Kaleider

Fri 24 - Sun 26 May, 9pm
Museum Square, Bristol Harbourside
Pay what you can. Recommended price £18
Book tickets

An experimental, durational "installation opera", Arch invites us to experience an exquisite combination of human voice, relentless physicality, and heart, entangled with the inevitability of collapse - together.

Digital Treats

We have lots of tasty digital treats you can enjoy from wherever you are. Check out our digital programme which includes The Making of Pinocchio, and Anything Moving.

New talk alert

MAYK presents: It doesn’t have to last forever – public art programming in a changing city

Sat 25 May, Design West
Free, but you will need to reserve a place
Book tickets

As Bristol enters a period of significant regeneration, how can we collectively reimagine what the provision of public art looks like in the future? How can artists playfully disrupt and create thrilling new place-based work that is non-permanent and has deeper, more rich community engagement.

Featuring contributions from Seth Honnor (Artistic Director of Kaleider), Tanuja Amarasuriya (director and dramaturg working across theatre, film, audio and XR), Experience Designer, Social Games Practitioner Imwen Eke, Bristol City Council Public Art Officer Georgina Bolton and Senior Arts Development Officer Jo Plimmer.

Join us for Pudding

Pudding

Sat 25 May, Bristol Old Vic
Free, pudding included
Book tickets

We’re exploring new ways of connecting with our audiences and partnering with Pudding, an informal post-show forum for audiences to discuss events, digest what they’ve seen and share feedback anonymously with us.

We’d love it if you could be part of the sessions (and yes, there is pudding).

This session is free to attend, but you'll need to register in advance.