Fragile Productions - The South West’s only Repertory Company

The company was originally set up under the name “Fragile Theatre Partnership” and was the inspiration of the Connell family of Bristol. Formed in January 2005 by a group of actors, a technical team and a director it aimed to explore and present innovative, challenging and exciting theatre and to produce the “unpredictable”.

In November 2008 the company changed its constitution and name, re-establishing itself as a unique, independent repertory company, the only one in the South West of England.

The very first production, 'Charlotte and Emily', at the Avon One Act Festival in February 2005, received an excellent adjudication with both cast members being nominated for Best Actress. the award went to Emily Connell for her role as 'Emily'. This triumph was closely followed by Fragile's second venture, a stage adaptation (written by the company) of Terry Pratchett's 'Johnny and the Bomb' which met with four star acclaim and great reviews on the Edinburgh Fringe in 2006.

The Christmas 2006 production of Anthony Neilson's 'Night before Christmas' rocked the house at the Alma Tavern Theatre, an early base for the company, and in June 2007 a deeply moving production of 'Spoonface Steinberg' showed Fragile's ability to truthfully portray every facet of human experience. The show went on to receive critical acclaim at the Bath Fringe Festival that year.

In 2008 productions included 'Lullaby of Broadway' (a musical revue), 'The Devil and Robert Johnson, (written by actor Jameson Douglas and director Max Connell), and 'Fat Shirley's: a Trailer Park Opera', first performed in Bristol at the Alma, and then toured to Bath and London. It became a cult hit in Bristol and enjoyed a revival at the Redgrave Theatre in Spring 2009. The following Autumn saw Playhouse Creatures at the Alma Tavern Theatre and the Hen and Chicken. The reviews and production photographs speak for themselves! Christmas 2009 at Halo, a new performance space for us on Gloucester Road in Bristol, and Fragile showcased another brand new play by young local writer, Harry Steele – Shite Christmas. The response again was outstanding.

Fragile took their next show, Night Mother, to Greenwich Playhouse in the summer of 2010. The critics loved it, and the audience were completely overwhelmed.

After a brief rest this Christmas, Fragile will be re-staging Playhouse Creatures in Bristol and Bath, this time with a unique twist... Watch this space.

Fragile Productions continues to be based in Bristol and seeks, wherever possible, to promote Bristol actors, writers and directors. The new name reflects the plans of the company to extend beyond theatre into film and other media ventures, Theatre in Education and Corporate role playing and consultancy work.

Fragile Productions is now a profit sharing company.