★★★★
In the hidden streets of Bristol, magic is truly being spun...
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OUR MISSION
Our mission is to provide thrilling theatrical experiences rooted in extraordinary places.
OUR VISION
We believe that theatre is for everyone. At Insane Root we transform sites within the community into performance spaces, reimagining old stories for a new audience. We recognise that traditional plays and venues can be off-putting or seem 'exclusive', but if you think theatre isn't for you, we are the company to change your mind.
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OUR VALUES
We are passionate about regional theatre and locally-made work, offering opportunities to local artists and those with a strong connection to the area. We strive to inspire the next generation of artists and creative entrepreneurs through our work placements and mentoring opportunities. We believe the arts have a powerful role to play in education and are committed to sharing our work with local schools through workshops, collaborative projects and school ticket discounts.
We value teamwork, curiosity and integrity, and endeavour to make our work accessible to all.
Our hope is that everyone, whatever their background or previous experience of theatre, feels like they have a place in the work that we do, and the spaces that we use. We believe theatre is most powerful when it is inclusive and personal, and we are dedicated to creating shows that are exciting, immersive and unforgettable.
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OUR STORY
Born out of a chance conversation between two friends in 2014, Insane Root Theatre has become synonymous with intimate, narrative-driven and emotionally engaging theatre productions performed in unique spaces around Bristol.
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Our first production set the tone: bringing Shakespeare's Macbeth to life in the Redcliffe caves. The space was dark, brooding, mostly closed off to the general public, and in the heart of the city. There was no lighting to speak of, no dressing rooms, no toilets and no bar....it really was a lost world - and we wanted to take audiences there!
The production opened to wide acclaim and sold out shows, with a second run following swiftly the next summer. We had found our niche in the theatrical landscape (literally) of Bristol: stories you know, in places you don’t.
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Since then, we've transformed the cavernous vaults of the Suspension Bridge into the halls of Hades, and transported audiences to the streets of Verona inside the bomb-damaged lido of Eastville Park. We've re-told the life of Prospero in a medieval crypt and reimagined the creature Rumpelstiltskin in a historic chapel.
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In the turbulent summer of 2020 Insane Root underwent its greatest transformation to date, from limited company to registered charity, establishing a Trustee Board of experienced and connected leaders in Bristol.
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Fighting back through the pandemic in December 2021, we brought one of our most ambitious shows to date to Arnos Vale Cemetery. Covering over 5 acres of woodland our immersive outdoor promenade version of Hansel & Gretel was a hit with families across Bristol.
Without taking much of a breath in early 2022, we then began preparations for a return to one of our favourite spaces, Eastville Park Swimming Pool. As a companion piece to our previous critically-acclaimed production of Romeo & Juliet in 2018, A Midsummer Night's Dream brought the house down for an extensive 8 week summer run.
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What does the future look like? Civil unrest, a grand battle for foreign lands, tennis balls...
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Won't you join us?
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