In a quest to find the best arty date activity, Epigram Arts has been busy sending couples to comedy shows, spoken words and plays around Bristol. Here are their reviews...
Tati & Chris
Epigram / Tati Dowley
Tati Dowley, Third Year Archaeology and Anthropology student, and Chris Bonnick, Third Year Engineering student, first caught eyes on a field trip with Bristol Officer Training Corps. The pair bonded over their love for shooting imaginary enemies and running round in camo. Last weekend they decided to mix things up with a visit to PRSC on International Women’s Day for a spoken word evening.
What do you normally do for dates?
CB: Normally we try to make it pretty outdoorsy; my fave dates are when we go the beach. But on week nights we’ll usually just go out for a meal or drinks.
TD: We’re usually up for anything, from a meal out to any kind of outdoor adventure! We definitely like doing new things and particularly like exploring but are also always up for a drink at the end of it. Or before it. Or during it. So to be honest, anything really that has a drinking establishment near it.
Why did you choose the spoken word night?
TD: International Women’s Day called for a different date to commemorate this momentous day. Also, my housemate told us to. We picked it over going to a queer comedy night because spoken word was nothing like anything that either of us had been to before; neither of us knew what we were in for which was sort of exciting. Also, I hardly go to Stokes Croft now I’m in third year so it was a nice change of scene!
CB: It was an event that I wouldn’t normally choose so it was nice to experience something completely different to how I would normally spend an eve.
What would you score it as a date destination out of 10? Please explain your score.
TD: I would give it a 7. I was definitely a bit apprehensive at the start as I thought it was going to be all about smashing the patriarchy (which I love) but was worried about what Chris might think! Although at times it got a bit heavy, the performances were all really moving, and we heard a lot of poetry from women from all walks of life. It was definitely different to the problems encountered in the Bristol student bubble. There was also alcohol which was a bonus and it was a really welcoming atmosphere.
CB: I would rate the event 8/10 because whilst it wasn’t something I really expected to enjoy, I actually found it very interesting and surprisingly fun.
Would you recommend to a friend?
TD: Yes. I think it would be lovely to go with a group of friends who are up for something different and less student-y. I definitely felt that I was a part of the Bristol community more than I usually do.
CB: I would definitely recommend it to a friend, the venue itself was really different and the spoken word was also something new and definitely worth trying at least once.
Any final comments?
TD: Women are cool.
CB: I was a little apprehensive of going to the event because I thought I would stand out a bit compared to the other people I expected to find there. However, I was made to feel very welcome and thoroughly enjoyed myself. The poems relating to the difficulty of growing up in a conservative Muslim family in Britain were particularly interesting and thought provoking for me.
Ritu & Jim
Epigram / Ritu Patel
Third Year Chemistry students, Ritu Patel and James Davies, kindled their romance in the lab over the flames of a bunsen burner, but decided to do something a little different last week with a trip to ‘The People’s Comedy’ at PRSC.
What kind of thing do you usually do for dates?
RP: Normally we go for a pint or six or we go for a walk and explore Bristol.
JD: Usually we just go to the pub or something chill one on one.
Why did you choose a comedy night for your date?
RP: To be honest, I thought I’d humour my housemate, who has been trying to get me to do an arty date for ages. I opted for the comedy night because it wasn’t too expensive and I thought it would be a nice change to what we normally do. Also, it was in Stokes Croft so I knew there’d be loads of good places to go for our customary pint afterwards.
What would you rate it out of 10 as a date activity? Explain your score.
JD: 9/10 - I don’t normally find many comedians funny, but I was in tears laughing for the majority of the evening. I think that the red wine maybe contributed a little to how funny I found it...
RP: 8/10 - I was slightly worried that it wasn’t going to be good, especially since I was the one that chose it, but it turned out to be a great night. Some of the comedians had some questionable sets but they made me laugh a lot. There was a lot of audience interaction which I am glad we managed to avoid. It probably wouldn’t be the best choice if you want to chat to your date, but maybe that’s what you’re looking for?
Any final comments?
JD: Keep an eye out for the next one. It was so jokes.
RP: I’d recommend it if you want a chill date. It’s nice to do something different that’s not too expensive. They have comedy every week in Stokes Croft so you should definitely check it out.
Harry & Max
Epigram / Harry Allbrook
Harry Allbrook, third year Chemistry, and Max Hyner, third year Geography, have been housemates for the past two years. The pair hit it off over their love for film and theatre, and have a shared passion for Louis Theroux documentaries.
What do you two usually do for dates?
We love watching movies; Max has made a list for us that we’ve got to get through!
Why did you choose this play for your date?
Max had been to watch Butterfly the night before which he really enjoyed, and so he picked up tickets to go to another show for the both of us.
What would you score it as a date activity out of 10? Explain your score.
8/10 – If combined with some chat over drinks before and after so that you’re not just sat in silence for the entire date. Being at the SU, the Balloon Bar was a great place for a drink and a cheeky falafel burger too.
Would you recommend to a friend? Why/ why not?
Yes definitely, I think going to watch a student show can be a really fun thing to do- provided you factor in some time to chat too!
Any final comments?
We enjoyed the play so much we’d have both even gone alone!
Jane and Rory
Epigram / Gracie Khoury
Jane Geldard, third year Chemistry, and Rory Gower, fourth year Engineering, met at their friend ‘Ginger Joe’s’ 21st birthday party last summer. They bonded during a drive round a nearby field, with Jane driving and Rory on top of the car. The pair recently decided to take their relationship to the next level with a ballroom dance class.
What kind of thing do you usually do for dates?
JG: When the student loans drops we like to think we’re ballers and spend it in one go in various pubs across Bristol.
RG: I try to show Jane my favourite locations (The Cat & Wheel on Gloucester road) in the hopes that she might finally not find one too down market.
Why did you choose Ballroom dancing for your date?
JG: Josh (the dance teacher) is a good friend of ours and I’ve seen him bust his moves in Bargs many times and so wanted to outdo Rory’s dancing next time we went out.
RG: Jane bribed me into coming last minute after her date dropped out.
What would you rate it out of 10 as a date activity? Explain.
JG: 4/10 - Rory was miles better than me (Jokes, 9/10 - great laugh and even managed to fit in a pub trip at the end).
RG: 10/10 - It was great fun trying to learn to dance and only being the second worst there (thanks Jane).
Any final comments?
JG: Hit up @JGBristolDance on Facebook for more info on a great night - next one is 2nd April!
Feature image: Unsplash / Josh Felize
Do you fancy going on an arty date for Epigram? Let us know in the comments below or on social media.
