We live in a time when you can see any film,
TV show or even a play at the touch of a
button. Yet theatres nationwide are seeing
a revival. As more and more people shun
the living room in favour of a live show, so
theatres are seeing a younger audience who are
watching an eclectic range of performances.
In the midst of this revival, the UK’s oldest
continually running theatre celebrates its
250th birthday. The ups and downs of the
Bristol Old Vic over the years certainly reflects
the shifting fortunes of the theatre industry as a
whole over its long life.
The Bristol Old Vic was funded by 50 local
people who all paid £50 to get the project
going. In that time, plays and theatres were
tightly controlled and when the new theatre
was opened, it was technically illegal. For this
reason the designer, Thomas Paty, was careful
to make sure there was no direct access from
the street and instead, the audience had to
knock on the door of a house belonging to
one Mr Foote in order to get into the theatre.
The first performance at the theatre was on
3oth May 1766. All performances at that time
were advertised as ‘concerts’ to avoid suspicion
and on the opening night at the theatre,
David Garrick, a famous actor and playwright,
performed the prologue and epilogue.
The theatre was open for two years before it
was given a Royal patent and became ‘legal’.
The newly named Theatre Royal Bristol
formed a joint company with Bath Theatre
Royal. The cast included Sarah Siddons, the
most famous actress of her time who was well-
known for being a bit difficult to work with at
times. Rumour has it that her ghost, dressed in
black, still haunts the theatre and there were
times when crew would never go alone to the
backstage of the theatre for fear they would see
her.
The first major renovation to the theatre came
in 1800 when the roof was raised and a new
gallery was built. The theatre broke from Bath
in 1819, but unfortunately did not thrive under
new manager William McCreedy. However
250 years of Bristol Old Vic
spring 2015
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