Desperate Studio

Our light and airy rehearsal space is available for hire.
It’s a fantastic, low-cost venue for theatre company rehearsals and filming. Available for hire 7 days a week.

• Playing space: 4m x 7.3m
• Insulated floor
• Double glazed windows with black-out blinds
• Piano, sofa and chairs
• Access to a kitchen with sink, microwave, kettle, fridge
• Green screen and white/black background rollers
• Jigsaw matting and basic physio equipment
• Speakers and audio jack
• A costume cupboard

Lights are on dimmer switches but are not full theatre lights – we are able to source some lighting and gels on request at a small additional cost. The room is not suitable for band rehearsals and unfortunately the only access points into the building is via 5 steps.

There is a sliding scale based on frequency, duration, and scope of the project/organisation. Please contact us at info@titfortatcircus.com for rates and availability.

History

The studio and its connected office operate through a long standing and still-going project called PACTS (Performing Artists Collaborative Theatre Spaces); a collection of independent artists and creative companies co-existing to support and share resources. With a history spanning over 30 years under the management of Desperate Men, PACTS continues to function today as a not-for-profit incentive, now managed by Artistic Directors Ryan Murphy and Maia Ayling of Tit for Tat Circus Theatre.

Originally set up in 1993 by Jon Beedell, Frankie Anderson, Kim Tilbrook, Tim Roberts and Olly Crick after the demise of Fooltime circus school (the forerunner of Circomedia) to create and manage a shared space where members could rehearse, design, make, produce, meet, exchange ideas, and share office space and administrative resources.

Located on Mivarts Street (Easton, Bristol) the studio has been in constant use since 1995 by different arts groups, both regularly and on an ad hoc basis. For over 20 years the studio, storage and office spaces have been used by a diverse and talented variety of artists, makers, cultural strategists, advocates, and important movers and shakers of England’s vibrant cultural and artistic sector.

In 2016 a basic refurbishment of the facilities took place with a small ACE grant and investment from Desperate Men and the landlords. In 2023, after their “40 Years of Desperation” the Desperate Men handed over the reins of PACTS and its associated space to Tit for Tat, who had begun their first show in the studio back in 2013.

Tit for Tat continues to uphold the wonderful legacy on a not-for-profit basis, with an aim to continue supporting artistic curation, cultural incentives, and creative careers.

In 2023 Tit for Tat built a new storage solutions into the studio, and connected with other makers and artists across the wider building to develop new working relationships. As of November 2024, Tit for Tat have taken on a larger adjacent creation space, just next door to the studio, more suited for circus or larger projects across Bristol’s creative scene.