Stokes Croft comes to life with theatrical walking tour 'Stokes Croft Calling'

Audiences are invited to attend a promenade performance around Bristol’s Stokes Croft neighbourhood on Saturday 9 November as local venues, organisations and streetside pavements become the stage for performances.

The Stokes Croft Calling Show is the second part of an event that saw its first iteration on Sunday 3 November, in a festival across the street which attracted over 400 extra visitors to the area and totalled over 1300 attendees to individual events. Images from the show’s Mild Mild West Banksy-Meets-Bristol Capoeira street performance (where a teddy bear with a molotov cocktail combat danced with riot police) circulated social media in the following days.

Image: Stokes Croft Calling

The Stokes Croft Calling Show takes such iconic content and reformats it into a promenade show around the street. It will be the last chance for Bristol audiences to see these bespoke performances, made in collaboration with more than 65 local creatives, businesses and residents. It is the most recent celebration of arts and culture to be put on by the Bristol-based Compass Presents and is happening as part of a Bristol City Council and West of England Combined Authority initiative aimed at boosting the local economy by attracting more customers to the city centre and High Streets.

Image: Stokes Croft Calling

This Saturday 9 November is the final chance to take part in this free celebration of Stokes Croft. The two-hour show will begin at the Canteen at 4pm after which audiences will be guided through the street, calling at PRSC, Happytat, the Love Inn, and ending at music institute BIMM.

The afterparty is free and will take place in the courtyard of 51s, with a line up from local label Saffron, platforming female and non-binary DJs until 11pm.

Compass Presents founder and director Tara Sachdeva says: “You’ll meet many interesting characters from history - it will be a lot of fun! Plus drumming, storytelling, and a chance to try out the martial art of capoeira! We’ll also be unveiling the synth composition and street art mural, created by audiences at last Sunday’s festival!  It will be fun for all the family. Everyone will find something for them!”

Full details of the Stokes Croft Calling can be found at www.compasspresents.com/stokes-croft-calling. Tickets are free but should be booked in advance with a £5 deposit that can be refunded or spent in one of the local businesses on the street.

Updates are also being provided via the Compass Presents accounts on Facebook and Instagram.

Stokes Croft Calling is a Compass Presents production being made possible thanks to the support of many Stokes Crofts businesses, creatives and past and present residents and funding from Bristol City Council and the West of England Combined Authority through their City Centre and High Streets Culture and Events Programme.

The production’s creative director is Tara Sachdeva, the community engagement producer is Stefan Boakye, the Marketing & Comms Manager is Charlie Harman. The Event Manager is Esther Afikiruweh, production support is Nia Evans and steward coordination is Amber Watson.