Bristol Old Vic

A Georgian theatre still at work

The Theatre Royal opened on 30 May 1766, and the theatre and the neighbouring Coopers' Hall, now its foyer, are Grade I listed. A redevelopment by Haworth Tompkins, completed in 2018, replaced the 1970s frontage with a new open foyer and created a studio in the hall's basement vaults. The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, founded in 1946, shares the name.

Visiting without a ticket

You don't have to be seeing a show to come in. The café bar is open daytime and evening from Monday to Saturday, free exhibitions are spread through the building, and guided and heritage tours can be booked through the theatre's website. It is a good rainy-day stop on a harbourside walk. Check the Access page before you go for details of facilities and accessible performances, and phone the box office on 0117 987 7877 with questions.

Before and after the show

King Street is one of the city's liveliest streets for a pre-theatre drink. Small Bar is a few doors along, the Granary and Cappadocia are within a couple of minutes, and Queen Square's lawns are just around the corner for a summer evening wander after the curtain comes down.

Highlights

• Opened in 1766 as the Theatre Royal
• Theatre and Coopers' Hall foyer are Grade I listed
• Heritage tours bookable online
• Café bar and free exhibitions open to all
• Foyer redesigned by Haworth Tompkins in 2018

Good to know

• Box office: 0117 987 7877.
• Guided and heritage tours are booked through the theatre's website.
• The theatre publishes access information, including accessible performances, on its Access page.

Frequently asked questions