PAST PRODUCTIONS
RUMPELSTILTSKIN
One of Bristol 24/7's "2019 productions of the year", this atmospheric retelling of the classic fairytale was brought to life in the historic 'New Room' - the first Methodist chapel in the world.
CONCERT
IN THE CAVES
A musical journey through the songs of Insane Root from Macbeth to Romeo & Juliet. Featuring never-before-heard arrangements and an all-star cast drawn from the original companies of our shows.
ROMEO & JULIET
An ambitious open-air adaptation set in Eastville Park's Old Swimming Pool Garden. Listed as 'production of the year' by reviewer Kris Hallett
THE TEMPEST
A musical reimagining of Shakespeare's epic 'Tempest'. Featuring a company of four, this is the story through Prospero's eyes...
ORPHEUS & EURYDICE
A retelling of the classic Greek myth, set deep within the Suspension Bridge Vaults. Featuring a new script by Alison Farina and music & lyrics by Ellie Showering.
MACBETH 2016
Returned to the Redcliffe Caves for six weeks only in 2016! Enjoyed a sold-out run and outstanding reviews and audience feedback. Also part of the Bristol Shakespeare Festival.
MACBETH 2015
Sold-out, critically-acclaimed, 26-performance run at the Redcliffe Caves in July 2015. Part of the Bristol Shakespeare Festival.
REVIEWS
★★★★ "Shakespeare has rarely been more exciting. Insane Root has set the bar high and clearly is in the business of making outstanding theatre. Not to be missed" - TheatreBath on Macbeth at the Redcliffe Caves
★★★★★ "This is a pacy, exciting and fully immersive production" - femalearts.com on Macbeth at the Redcliffe Caves
"Ghostly moans echo at key plot points, dark figures emerge from behind shadowed pillars to scare the bejases out of audience members, and the entire experience feels like a wander inside Macbeth's famous 'heat-oppress'd brain'" - Bristol 24/7 on Macbeth at the Redcliffe Caves
★★★★★ "[Insane Root] has again triumphed by fitting the performance to a truly special venue and...are clearly a company with true insight and should be widely recognised. We can only hope for more!" - Bradley Stoke Radio on Orpheus & Eurydice in the Suspension Bridge Vaults
★★★★ "...an adventurous immersive experience that embraces the fun side of theatre" - The Stage on Orpheus & Eurydice in the Suspension Bridge Vaults
"The show is...charming, performed with verve and passion by the quartet of actors, and features some haunting music from Ellie Showering...its location is never just a gimmick. The story and the setting always support each other. When you emerge blinking into the light, you have left a little of yourself behind." - Lyn Gardner's Blog (The Guardian) on Orpheus & Eurydice in the Suspension Bridge Vaults
★★★★½ "Insane Root Theatre’s The Tempest balances Shakespearean tradition with exceptional adaptation, and through repurposing the text, the temporality, and the tone, the cast and creatives get closer to the heart of the play than any production of The Tempest this reviewer has seen, and it’s all happening right beneath the heart of Bristol." - ReviewsHub on The Tempest in St John on the Wall's Crypt
"With its otherworldly music, elegant candle-lit staging and energetic performances, this is distilled Shakespeare that reveals the essence." - Bristol 24/7 on The Tempest in St John on the Wall's Crypt
★★★★ “Insane Root’s Romeo and Juliet is joyous and tragic and tear-jerking and gorgeous, with its greatness cleverly tucked away at the edge of a green and covered by the gates of Verona.” – ReviewsHub on Romeo & Juliet in Eastville Park Swimming Pool
★★★★ “For those who think Shakespeare isn’t for them, Insane Root is the company to change those minds.” – MyTheatreMates on Romeo & Juliet in Eastville Park Swimming Pool
★★★★ "In the hidden streets of Bristol, magic is truly being spun..." - CreativeReviewsUK on Rumpelstiltskin at the New Room
“This is a play of words. It revolves around the richness of stories, the magic that can be created with the phrase ‘once upon a time’, and the power of words (and names)…It is the tale of a storyteller made flesh.” – Bristol 24/7 on Rumpelstiltskin at the New Room