Five Questions with... Angie Bual

1. Hey Angie! How did Trigger come about?

Hello! I have a background in theatre producing. From early in my career, what really got me going was theatre outside of its traditional context. I became very inspired by getting rid of the rules, being experimental and creating unforgettable experiences outside of the traditional theatre setting.   

I set up Trigger after a few years of running a theatre club night in Glasgow. I wanted to make big, brave and very bold theatre that responded to major issues of our time, and this ethic is still at the heart of what we do.   

We’re led by social and political issues, and people, rather than form. That’s what led us to working in hospices throughout the UK, with local refugees, and into collaborations with scientists, academics, botanists and psychologists.  

2. Could you tell us about your upcoming project and what you think it will bring to communities in the South West, and beyond?  

Last year we delivered PoliNations, a project reflecting on the UK’s complex histories surrounding migration and diversity through our plant life. The programme took place over two weeks in Birmingham’s city-centre, attracting audiences of almost 150,000 with music, dance, talks, poetry, workshops and an epic super garden of over 5,000 plants and trees.

TEABREAK is a brand-new touring show that builds on the incredible things we discovered during PoliNations. It tells the story of tea, and the journey it’s taken to our shores including its history tied up in colonialism and empire, whilst also inviting a gentle reflection on what tea means to us all today – the moments it marks, the way it brings us together.

There is always a participatory element woven throughout our work, including stories of tea from a multitude of people. We hope TEABREAK will open up the kind of conversations you only have over a cuppa, and that audiences will add their own voices.

3. What does it mean for you and the Trigger team to be a National Portfolio Organisation?  

We often talk about working both hyper-locally and globally. This means responding to issues and divisions that affect us all, from a micro level to global problems that impact people on a mass scale.

Joining the National Portfolio gives us an incredible opportunity to be adaptive and agile with our work.”

We’re going to be supporting over 250 refugees living in hotels down the road from us and collecting mobile phones from our local community so those at the hotel can call their families, as well as bringing large-scale work to audiences across the UK; including collaborating with Indigenous artists in Australia.

We find that the issues we look at, whatever the scale, often reflect each other, and that working at a local level allows us to understand better what’s going on globally. This is a huge benefit to the work we do, and the impact we can have.

4. What inspires you?   

My inspiration really starts with audiences and people, and the social challenges that affect us. I have a strong sense of justice and I’m interested in global politics and local issues, and how the two intertwine over issues such as refugees and decolonisation. 

I’m a mother of two small girls, a local shepherd and part of a pig syndicate, and a veg grower - all this inspires me! I like to be in touch with the world, and in tune with my breath through yoga.

I’m inspired by landscapes, buildings, histories and possible futures. By other artists’ work, and I love live art, theatre, visual art. I like to walk the line between them all.

I’m also super inspired by collaborators and try and work with different people, from the incredible Carl Robertshaw to classically trained Indian dancers… I love jumping into new mediums and learning from others.

5. Lastly, what are you most looking forward to this summer?  

I’m excited to be hitting the road with TEABREAK! Our recent projects have been epic placemaking events, and this is the first time we’ve toured a show that is both compact, nimble and playful, but also has real feeling to it. We’ve heard how moving people have found it. It’s exciting to be reaching so many different audiences all over the country.

And this month we’re moving to our permanent home in Blagdon, North Somerset. My Co-Director Natalie Adams and I both live in North Somerset, so we know the area and community well.”

As well as the continued support for local refugees through our project Humanity Hotel, we’re looking forward to bringing our work to the wider community. We recently previewed TEABREAK at a local village pub, and for the residents of the refugee hotel.

There’s also going to be some exciting progress on projects that we’re yet to announce… Stay tuned, there are some big things coming!

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