Bristol theatre best of 2012

1) Translunar Paradise, Bristol Old Vic studio (below)
“Love and loss are at the heart of Translunar Paradise from Theatre Ad Infinitum… and for those who have ever lost a loved one, try to hold back the tears, for even though this production has not one word uttered, it packs an emotional punch of tremendous power.”

2) The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart, The Trinity Centre
“Enormous fun and then quiet moments of reflection in almost total darkness. Bagsy a table in the middle of the Trinity if you feel like doing more than just spectating during an extraordinary evening.”

3) Peter Pan, Bristol Old Vic
“A triumph of imagination and ingenuity. It is a spellbinding family treat thanks to a little bit of that Bristol Old Vic magic.”

4) Buttercup, The Wardrobe Theatre
“There are some hilarious moments… the improvised elements are also a joy… Tom Wainwright looks at our obsession with celebrity culture through a whole new lens.”

5) Hansel & Gretel, Tobacco Factory Theatre
“The skill of these actors made me often forget there were both human and puppet versions of our protagonists, in a witty and immensely enjoyable production.”

6) Beyond, The Looking Glass (below)
“Facts blended with fiction, tears with laughter, light with dark… a fully immersive performance… a truly extraordinary, powerfully unique theatrical experience.”

7) Our Glass House, a house in St George
“Effective and affecting… a wonderfully inventive site-specific production from theatre collective Common Wealth like no other I have ever seen in Bristol. It is a superb use of space, part art installation, part performance.”

8) Mayday Mayday, Bristol Old Vic studio
“Reminds us of the fragility of life with a lightness of touch… a compelling show from one of Bristol’s star performers. We should be thankful he is still with us to share his talent.”

9) Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker!, Bristol Hippodrome
“That exclamation mark is important. How else to describe the sheer vitality of this sumptuously divine production? A production so tasty you could lick it.”

10) Bristol Jam Improvathon, Bristol Old Vic studio (below)
“I was willing the actors to succeed by the end, sucked into the vortex along with the in-jokes and complex storylines, some resolved, others completely forgotten, in Bristol’s most extraordinary theatrical experience of the year.”