Theatre / News
Bristol named one of UK’s top theatre cities
Bristol has been named one of the best theatre cities in the UK.
The list in The Stage – a magazine for the theatre, entertainment and performing arts industry – sees Bristol in sixth place, sandwiched between Plymouth and Chichester, with London unsurprisingly taking the top spot.
Bristol Old Vic artistic director Tom Morris comes in for particular praise as “a brilliant and visionary artistic director… (who) has balanced the financial books by joining forces with a number of other regional theatres, such as Liverpool’s Everyman and Playhouse, but also produced work for Bristol only”.
The Old Vic is currently in the midst of a huge refurbishment. Demolition of the 1970s building will be taking place over the next few months before the process of rebuilding the front of house and studio spaces can begin.
A new glass-fronted entrance foyer will reveal the original walls of the theatre to the street.
Mark Shenton, associate editor of The Stage, wrote that he visited the theatre last week: “You now have to enter via an entrance beside the stage door, and the box office and bar areas have been newly created in the theatre’s backstage paint frame. It feels like a pop-up venue; then you enter the gorgeous horseshoe auditorium that is a classical gem.”
He added: “The city also has the Tobacco Factory, whose Shakespeare productions in particular are now legendary; and the Hippodrome, a grand receiving house where many tours originate.”
Bristol24/7 would also like to draw The Stage’s attention to the wonderful Wardrobe Theatre, smaller theatres such as the Alma Tavern and The Room Above, and venues which host regular shows such as The Station, Trinity and Yard Arts.
Read more: New theatre space The Room Above opens doors
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