Earlier this year, artist Luke Jerram (of Park Street waterslide fame) set up his installation 'Withdrawn' at National Trust site Leigh Woods. From July 11 until July 17, the ghostly abandoned boat will provide the backdrop for an original open-air performance of Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'.
The hour-long adaptation of the Bard's last masterpiece – which has been brought to the city as part of the Bristol Shakespeare Festival – will be performed by London-based theatre company Butterfly, who have a reputation for bringing plays alive in extraordinary settings.
Past Butterfly performances have taken place at Kents Cavern in Torquay and The Teifburg castle in Heidelberg, Germany. The reimagining of 'The Tempest' will use Jerram's stranded fishing boats to complement the characters' similar state of abandonment and promises to bring the art installation to life with Butterfly's signature immersive style.
'The Tempest', Sunday July 11 - Friday July 19, 6.30pm and 8pm daily. Leigh Woods National Nature Reserve, off Abbots Leigh Road, Bristol, BS8 3QB. Tickets £15 (£12 concession). Tickets available from the Bristol Shakespeare Festival
Audiences are asked to dress appropriately for an outdoor performance, with sturdy footwear.
Jon Craig