Events – OutStories Bristol

22-24 Oct 2026 – Jane Austen’s ‘Lesley Castle’

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Sep 272026

Brislington’s Gemini Players present a world premiere of an adaptation of Jane Austen’s Lesley Castle.

Austen wrote Lesley Castle in 1792, aged 16, but never finished it. It was not published until 1922 and has never been adapted and completed for stage, screen or TV until now.

Adapted by OutStories’ Jonathan Rowe it is the only Jane Austen novel to be partly set in Bristol. A cast of 20 bring Austen’s “unpolished farce” with hilarious characters to the stage for the very first time with help from music over seven decades including Abba, Pulp and Taylor Swift. It includes a LGBT+ storyline, a reference to Austen’s famous “sodomy joke” from Mansfield Park, and a tribute to gay 80s pop icon Holly Johnson.

Thursday 22nd to Saturday 24th October, 7:30pm
plus a 2:30pm matinee on Saturday 24th

St Luke’s Church Hall, Glenarm Walk, Bristol BS4 4LS

Tickets are £12 – details on poster

9 Oct 2026 – An Evening with Jack Shoulder – book launch and exhibition

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Sep 272026

Has an artwork ever made you hot under the collar? How often have you walked through a gallery, tried to focus on the text panel, but really just been enamoured by the drop dead gorgeous guy staring back at you?

Offering a fresh and humorous introduction to art and written by Museum Bums co-author Jack Shoulder, Hotties in Art searches art history to find the most alluring artworks. Whether you are looking for boyfriend material, a heavenly hunk, a bright young thing or even holding out for a hero, there is a Museum Hottie carefully curated for you.

Waterstones are welcoming Jack to discuss this new funny, informative and eye candy-filled book!

£5 admission only; £20 includes a copy of the book. Book tickets from Waterstones.

The event will also feature a pop-up exhibition of artwork by local artists.

Friday 9th October 2026, 7pm
Waterstones, Union Galleries, Broadmead, Bristol BS1 3XD
Map

3 Oct 2026 – talk “Bristol Pride: A Photographic Journey in Time”

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Sep 142026

OutStories Bristol in collaboration with the University of Bristol Institute of Greece, Rome, and the Classical Tradition (IGRCT) present the 13th John Addington Symonds Annual Lecture.

This year’s lecture will be given by Dr Robert Howes, historian, author and member of OutStories Bristol.

The presentation will show how Pride has developed from a political protest demonstration to a celebration of identity, drawing on examples from Britain and other countries. It will discuss some of the issues related to this development, including the commercialisation of what began as and still to some extent remains a radical, contestatory movement.

The talk will then trace the development of Pride in Bristol from the first Gay Bristol Festival in 1977 through to today’s large-scale event, which celebrates its 50th anniversary next year. The presentation will be illustrated with photographs drawn from the speaker’s own collection and elsewhere.

Saturday 3rd October 2026, 5pm-7pm
Peel Lecture Theatre, School of Geographical Sciences – South Building,
University Road, Bristol, BS8 1SS
Map Accessibility

This event is free and open to everyone.

The event is hybrid and online tickets are also available. To book, click here or scan the QR code.

The talk will be followed by a drinks reception. This is an opportunity to chat with members of OutStories Bristol about our activities.

The talk is an annual celebration of the life of John Addington Symonds (1840-1893), Bristol-based writer, art historian and pioneer of homosexual rights.

It is held by OutStories Bristol in collaboration with the University of Bristol Institute of Greece, Rome, and the Classical Tradition (IGRCT). Our thanks to the IGRCT for hosting.