What's On, Bristol at Home, Theatre
The Silence and the Noise
Published on
When: 10 November 2026 – 14 November 2026
Where: Bristol Old Vic, Bristol
Tickets: From £15
A powerful piece of contemporary theatre explores addiction, county lines and two young people caught on opposite sides of a dangerous world.
Winner of the 2021 Papatango Prize from more than 1,400 scripts, Tom Powell's The Silence and the Noise comes to Bristol Old Vic's Weston Studio from 10 to 14 November 2026, presented by Papatango Theatre Company and Pentabus as part of a UK tour.
The story
Daize has a sharp tongue and a sharper blade; Ben has killer trainers and not much else. She's determined to protect her mum from his drug-dealing boss, but as these natural enemies collide, they start to find something in each other that no adult has ever given them.
Critical praise
Described by The Stage as "a modest masterpiece" and by the Guardian as "a delicate love story of tenderness and tragedy", the production runs approximately 65 minutes with no interval.
Booking details
Tickets start from £15. The show carries an age guidance of 13+ and content guidance for mild swearing, references to drug use and unseen violence, with performances at 8pm most evenings, an early evening 6:30pm show on Thursday, and matinee and evening performances on the final Saturday.