Suspend reality and step into the world of contemporary theatre with Mayfest Bristol. This annual festival features European theatre, award-winning shows and plenty of food for thought.

A Surreal Start
Mayfest Bristol 2009 kicks off on May 1st with a launch party that's as unsettling as you'd expect. DJs, dancing and nibbles all sound fairly conventional, but there's also performances from Bristol's The Master Chyanijs and The Lexie Mountain Boys from Baltimore. Put it this way, The Master Chaynijs are transforming the Bristol Old Vic into a reimagined landscape of the B-Movie. And so Mayfest begins.

Opening Weekend
The programme for the first weekend of Mayfest Bristol is packed to the brim. To be honest, it's unlikely you'll get round it all - although the organisers have come up with a cunning way of helping you attempt it - see below. Sights which shouldn't be missed include the return of Carny Ville - a glitzy, tawdry, greasepaint-smeared reinvention of carnival, funfair and circus. There's also interactive theatre from The Other Way Works. Their gripping thriller - Black Tonic - takes place in the bedrooms and corridors of Holland House Hotel.

Interactive Theatre
Feeling pent up? Head to the Boxing Booth, a red telephone box and Victorian boxing booth combined by Pedro Viana. Or if you're feeling social, why not head to Claim To Fame by Jo Bannon. This piece attempts to link people through their fleeting experiences with celebrity and stardom. And for pure spectacle there's Of All the People in All the World, an installation by Stan's Cafe which uses 989kg of rice, a grain for everyone in the country. Using this vast amount of rice they'll be illustrating some surprising, and at times odd, statistics.

Cabaret and Cartoon
Other highlights of festival include Hoochie Coochie, a cabaret performance for the 21st century; award-winning European theatre; local talent including Orbita, Edward Rapley and Tinned Fingers; and puppetry and cartoon characters. As well as plenty to see, there's plenty to do at Mayfest Bristol. Children can get involved with the creative drop in for kids from The Paper Cinema who will help bring their drawings to life. There's also after show discussions and a chance to learn some improvisation techniques.

A Travelling Show
If you don't want to miss a beat, then get on your bike. This year organisers are arranging a Tour de Mayfest. Not only will you get to cycle around Bristol in an artistic eco convoy but you'll catch the highlights in one day. The tour stops off at Of All the People in All the World, Overlap, MyWord is Empty Without You and The Weepers. Plus, you get to see all of this for £20, including lunch.

Mayfest Bristol takes place from 1st May - 16th May 2009. For more information or tickets click on the link below.

Mayfest Official Site