Riverside Studios Announces The Return Of Bitesize Festival

Riverside Studios today announces the return of its innovative Bitesize Festival, following the success of the launch of this initiative in January that saw 9 shows take to Riverside's stage showcasing work from new and emerging theatre makers.

The next instalment of the festival, running from 5-31 July, promises more shows, a wider variety of performances and an accessible £10 ticket price across all productions. The festival delivers punchy, thought-provoking, inspiring, and innovative theatre in bitesize pieces from new writing to well-established hits; with many travelling from Riverside to the Edinburgh Fringe thereafter.

The Festival programme includes Impromptu Shakespeare, who perform a 'new' Shakespeare play every night, with story and verse improvised in the moment; and Angels' Wings Theatre Company's A Plague on All Your Houses, a rip-roaring ride through the plagues of history.

Dark comedy Moral Panic by Blue Dog Theatre explores horror film hysteria in 1984, contrasting with Really Big Pants Theatre's Clare and Cory Share a (Glorious) Story - a gentle show for younger children, written entirely in rhyme. DuckTape's Bad Sex is a character study of a lost boy trying to piece his life together, plunging us deep inside the mind of a young actor after a very public meltdown. Belly Button's The Man Who Lives Under the Bed is a semi-autobiographical, high-energy performance of comedy, dance, poetry, and music; while Boorish Trumpson is an interactive, music and clowning-filled interrogation of power, from critically acclaimed clown Claire Parry.

Audiences who attend all the performances across one day will be rewarded with a free drink from Riverside's thriving Bar and Kitchen.

Further programming for the festival will be announced shortly.

Rachel Tackley, Creative Director of Riverside Studios says today, "We are thrilled to be announcing another Bitesize Festival following the huge success of our first one back in January. It's been a joy to create a festival that presents new work from such inspiring and innovative theatre makers and to introduce them to audiences at Riverside".

IMPROMPTU SHAKESPEARE

5-7 July

Sad that Shakespeare hasn't written anything new for over 400 years?a??

Well, hold onto your doublets, ruffs and trunk hose. The Bard is back! With story and verse improvised in the moment, enjoy a riotous new Shakespeare play every time - performed by Impromptu Shakespeare's whip smart cast.

Packed with priceless wit, lyrical smarts, romance, and a dash of double-crossing, this leading ensemble do the Bard proud with a brand new one-act hit every time, inspired by audience suggestions.

Blue Dog Theatre's MORAL PANIC

Performed by Jack Cooper

Directed by Stuart Warwick

5-10 July

England. 1984. Charles Hawthorne is working as a film censor. It's a turbulent time, with national hysteria around a gaggle of horror films - branded the video nasties. Charles is taking it all in his stride thought and even sniffs a possible promotion. That is until there's a new appointment at the board. An appointment of a female censor who turns Charles' world upside down, and has murderous consequences....

WILDCAT'S LAST WALTZ

Written and performed by Joshua Welch

Directed by Kelly Hunter

5-10 July

"Th' Wildcat of Sheffield... not anymore... where did she go?"

In this raucously funny house, the Wildcat welcomes the audience into her Sheffield home, makes everyone a cuppa, hands around the biscuits and tells her story of love, loss, dust, water infections and strength. Behind this filthy, naughty and wickedly funny cabaret-style show lies the beating heart of love, motherhood and the will to carry on.

Angels' Wings Theatre Company's A PLAGUE ON ALL YOUR HOUSES

Performed by Catherine Allison, Morgan Black, Ben May, Richard McKenna

Directed by Marcia Kelson

12-16 July

A rip-roaring ride through the plagues of history. From swarms of locusts to vineyard-destroying bugs. From the Black Death to Covid. Have we learnt anything over the centuries? Or are we destined to repeat the same mistakes?

Belly Button's THE MAN WHO LIVES UNDER THE BED

Performed by Florence Pick and Harrison Charles

Directed by Florence Pick

14-16 July

One minute you're sitting in Wetherspoons sharing a WooWoo pitcher with your despised colleague, the next you're dancing on top of a pear tree with a bald green giant. With pretentious art school boys who won't shut up about Shambala to rowdy pub landladies who use their pants to clean the bar... Will Lauren get what she wants in the end? Or will she forever be checking under her bed...

Really Big Pants Theatre Company's CLARE AND CORY SHARE A (GLORIOUS) STORY

Directed and performed by Joe Bromley and Willow Nash

16-17 July

Clare and Cory Share a (Glorious) Story has the trademark anarchic energy from Really Big Pants, but is a gentler, simpler show for younger children, written entirely in rhyme, to encourage them to not only share their belongings and enjoy a great story, but also to explore the natural world so close to home. And there's a glorious accompanying longer-form picture book, illustrated by the award-winning Steve Smallman, available to buy on the day!

Recommended for ages 3-7 years old

DuckTape's BAD SEX

Written and performed by Theo Hristov

Directed by Rebeka Dió

15-20 July

Plunging us deep inside the mind of a young actor after a very public meltdown,a??Bad Sexa??is a character study of a lost boy trying to piece his life together as he navigates the promising acting career he may have ruined, the coke habit he can't afford, and the chaotic sex life he no longer enjoys.a??

Recommended for ages 14+

Aixa Amarante Productions' I AM THE BOMB

Directed by Lewis Miles

20 - 24 July

Combining personal stories with soundscapes, Kate Bush, and recreations of hallucinatory visions, Lewis creates a compelling, profound, and joyous work about being gay, being mad, and unexploded WWII bombs. A cautionary tale about listening to your body, the news, and your mum.

BOORISH TRUMPSON

Performed by Claire Parry

Directed by Alex Prescot and Lily Levinson

21-23 July

#MakeMusicGreatAgain. You are the orchestra. Boorish Trumpson is your rehearsal-conductor. Just your rehearsal conductor... just for one rehearsal... absolutely no other ambitions. None. Nope.

An interactive, music and clowning-filled interrogation of power and those who wield it from critically acclaimed Lecoq-trained clown Claire Parry.

Recommended for ages 12+

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