Theatre / Bristol old vic
Bristol Old Vic redevelopment: next steps unveiled
Bristol venues are undergoing a facelift all round. With Colston Hall it is #TransformTheHall, the main auditorium now closed until 2020 when a new hall is unleashed with a new name. Tobacco Factory Theatres are inviting audiences to #ReimagineWithUs, opening their new Spielman Studio Theatre in October of this year.
One of the biggest and most radical changes comes from Bristol’s flagship theatre, Bristol Old Vic, whose #YearOfChange signals the end of its major refurbishments and sees its brand new doors thrown open to punters in September.
The plans are ambitious, both structurally and artistically. “We want to address the issues and inequalities of the city,” Old Vic artistic director Tom Morris said as he explained the thinking behind their Year of Change and what Bristol can look forward to from the autumn.
is needed now More than ever
Plans include affordable ticket prices, opening up two new studio spaces and making the new venue simply more open and accessible.
The newly christened Weston Studio will open on October 5, 2018, promising a programme that ‘wriggles with invention’. Situated underneath Coopers’ Hall, work from the likes of Firebird Theatre, Living Spit, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and Little Angel Theatre gets the party started in fine fashion.
Directly above Coopers’ Hall, Coopers’ Loft will be used for both small scale performances and events.
The theatre’s Coopers’ Hall before the redevelopment began…
… and as it is today (photo: Evoke Pictures)
The main event, though, is the culmination of two year’s work with the opening up of the brand new, fully accessible foyer space, revealing the 252-year-old theatre wall from King Street for the very first time and embracing the old and the new with inscribed, weathered steel shutters.
The inscriptions are from David Garrick’s bespoke prologue, delivered on the theatre’s opening night in 1766, and former Bristol poet laureate Miles Chambers’ Bristol! Bristol!, first performed at the 250th birthday bash in 2016.
Artist’s impression of the new Bristol Old Vic foyer
The Year of Change programme has been a roaring success so far. In addressing the current season, Morris turned to Hugh Hunt, Bristol Old Vic’s very first artistic director (1945-49), referencing a letter in which Hunt stated: “If things go really well, we might think about doing Chekhov.”
Things have clearly gone well. The Year of Change kicked off with Michael Boyd’s The Cherry Orchard (“heartbreaking for some of its cast, and transformative for all”, said our review). Sally Cookson’s A Monster Calls is currently thrilling Bristol audiences before it heads to London’s Old Vic.
Bristol Old Vic’s current production, the acclaimed A Monster Calls
Currently in rehearsal, meanwhile, is the Bristol Old Vic, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and Diverse City collaboration of The Elephant Man.
Directed by Lee Lyford and starring Jamie Beddard, this production continues to overcome the inequalities Morris aims to address by having integrated captioning for every performance, BSL interpretation and relaxed performances for all ages. It is also trialling more user-friendly wheelchair positions within the Georgian auditorium, with the view to retaining these as a permanent fixture.
‘The Elephant Man’ rehearsals: Jamie Beddard and graduating students from Bristol Old vic Theatre School. Pic: Alistair Campbell
Morris is also juggling a stage adaptation of Touching the Void, as well as his own adaptation of A Christmas Carol which will see the return of director Lee Lyford.
Add to this the theatre’s Heritage Experience, which will offer exhibitions, workshops, interactive experiences and character-led tours, Edson Burton and Tom Morris’ recent commemoration of abolitionist Frederick Douglass and the ongoing Your City, Your Voice programme with its City Conversations, and it appears that Morris’ dream of reaching out to all pockets of Bristol is ever closer to being achieved.
Bristol Old Vic’s first City Conversation, held in May. The second instalment takes place on June 27
Bristol Old Vic opens the doors to its new foyer at 8am on September 24. For more on the redevelopment, visit www.bristololdvic.org.uk/about/redevelopment
Top photo: Evoke Pictures
Our top newsletters emailed directly to you
