Women of Bristol Old Vic is a sound installation centred on inspirational women from the theatre's past and present. The interviews and stories captured aim to bring the voices of women in theatre to the forefront of the industry and celebrate their achievements across history. Women of Bristol Old Vic combines archive material, oral histories and locations across the theatre's foyer. This project was created and developed by Charlotte Churm and features Bristol Old Vic staff, creatives and collaborators.

Women of Bristol Old Vic | Sound Installation

Last year, on International Women’s Day, the audio installation ‘Women of Bristol Old Vic’ was launched in Bristol Old Vic’s Front of House Space. Audiences could interact with the project by scanning QR codes on their phones and listen to the historical and current role of women in the theatre. Within a fortnight of the project’s launch, lockdown struck, and soon after the tracks were moved online to the theatre’s SoundCloud account. 

The audio project explores the role of unsung women in Bristol Old Vic’s past and present who have shaped the theatre to be what it is today – the oldest continually working theatre in the country. From archival information about the women who financially contributed to the building of the theatre to interviews with members of today’s empowering feminist productions, the tracks explore the roles of these women in the hope of inspiring the next generation of female theatre practitioners. The project was produced and created by Charlotte Churm, who, with a passion for history, archives and unsung narratives, was keen to champion female role models for a younger generation. 

The last 12 months have been historically unprecedented and monumental in the theatre industry’s history. So, the Women of Bristol Old Vic project has decided to mark this moment in history with a brand-new track, ‘Lockdown Ladies’. With virtual interviews taken place in lockdown, the track investigates how female theatre practitioners have adapted around the pandemic to continue making work at Bristol Old Vic. Featuring director superstar Sally Cookson, Wise Children Executive Producer Poppy Keeling and members of the Bristol Old Vic team, the extended track will show the perseverance and adaptive thinking of some of Bristol’s leading female theatre makers. As a new graduate, Charlotte wanted to expand the dialogue around the theatre industry in crisis, whilst looking at the resilience and optimism that has emerged from theatre makers during the pandemic. 

The track will be available to listen to from International Women’s Day 2021 and when the theatre re-opens, will be added to the Front of House installation alongside the rest of the audio project.

Women of Bristol Old Vic | Sound Installation

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