Bristol Old Vic’s golden (and silver) ticket

To raise funds for with new renovations at the Bristol Old Vic, the theatre has turned to its past. The Bristol Old Vic has officially revealed and begun selling new versions of its historic “silver tickets”, a practice from when the Old Vic was first opened in 1766. 

Back when the Bristol Old Vic was just an idea in the community’s collective head over 250 years ago, 50 wealthy locals each contributed £50 donations towards opening the theatre, explains Old Vic CEO Emma Stenning. In return, the donors received a silver ticket, which allowed the holder to enter any theatre show, for free, forever.

Nowadays, though, £50 isn’t what it used to be. Thus, the new tickets are a tad more expensive – £50,000 for a silver ticket and £100,000 for gold. 

So far, the Old Vic has sold 42 silver tickets and two golden tickets. The fundraiser has already brought the theatre over £2 million to continue renovations throughout the theatre, a £12.5 million scheme that began with the now-completed theatre and back of house spaces.

“They are going fast,” says Stenning. “At the end of the day, the ticketeers are a club. It’s actually quite an eclectic club and quite a brilliant club.”

Supporters who purchased the tickets include notable names such as Daniel Day-Lewis (who studied at the Bristol Old Vic) and Aardman co-founders Peter Lord and David Sproxton, as well as other business owners and artists. The University of Bristol also purchased a silver ticket.

“We invite them all to the press nights, the opening nights of our shows,” says Stenning. “Everyone tends to come on press night because it’s a nice chance to see each other.

“[Daniel Day-Lewis] was one of our earliest ticketeers, right at the start. He has been incredibly helpful in New York, where he’s based. He’s helped bring in American philanthropists, which has been wonderful.”

Day-Lewis opted for the silver coin; the main difference between the two options, other than the material, is that a golden ticket can be lent to friends and family. Owners of the silver ticket can only use it for themselves, though it can also be inherited (the Old Vic still honours silver tickets from 1766).

Aardman’s Sproxton and Lord attended the Monday night unveiling of the tickets, hovering and gasping over the solid gold and silver coin-like tickets laid out on a table at the Old Vic.

“I’ve been an enthusiast for this theatre ever since we arrived in Bristol in ’76,” says Lord. “We’ve been coming here steadily ever since. The long-termness of this investment is a rather charming idea… A sense of posterity and stuff like that.”

Vanessa Stevenson, a longtime supporter of the Bristol Old Vic and owner of one of the silver tickets, also arrived to get a peek at the newly minted tickets. 

“I was here when Dick Penny called the people of Bristol together to support this theatre when it was on its knees,” she says. “And I just think it’s now this amazing, tangible space, almost as if it’s sort of like a muse of fire lurking in the area. The whole space is living again.” 

Despite the tickets’ success, Stenning doesn’t anticipate another round of sales soon. “Maybe at 500. Maybe it’s every 250 years,” she laughs.

You don’t need a golden or silver ticket to see The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk for free at the Old Vic on May 28. The theatre will celebrate its 250th birthday by giving away a full house of tickets to see the wartime love story about two painters. And Bristol24/7 readers can win 40 pairs of tickets to the event. 

To enter, sign up to our newsletter below. Then email [email protected] with the subject line Old Vic 250, your name and contact details. Enter by midday on Friday, May 8. Winners will be drawn out of a hat.