Theatre / Bristol old vic
Simon Callow helps open new Bristol Old Vic
‘Come on in’ reads the neon sign above Bristol Old Vic’s new front door and that’s exactly what chief executive Emma Stenning urged those gathered to do shortly after 8am on Monday morning.
If the opportunity to be among the first to see the theatre’s breathtaking new front of house space was not enough, there was the offer of free tea and coffee, with reusable Bristol Old Vic branded cups also handed to the first 100 through the door.
There were also two familiar faces to mark the auspicious occasion, with actor Simon Callow and poet Miles Chambers reading words that have been carved for perpetuity into the building’s new metal shutters.
is needed now More than ever
Callow read David Garrick’s prologue from the theatre’s opening night in 1766 and former Bristol city poet Miles Chambers read Bristol, Bristol, a poem of his performed on stage as part of the theatre’s 250th anniversary celebrations.
The pair then followed the crowd inside, with the new £26m space hosting 1766 Bar & Kitchen remaining full of people for mot of the rest of its opening day, much as Old Vic artistic director Tom Morris had envisaged, saying that he was “inviting the amazing people of Bristol to become part of an exciting new era for the theatre”.
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