Bristol Old Vic
Opened in 1766, this is the longest continuously operating theatre in the English-speaking world, with its Georgian horseshoe-shaped auditorium well preserved.
Bristol Old Vic is on King Street and opened in 1766. It is the oldest theatre in the English-speaking world still in operation. Its Georgian horseshoe-shaped auditorium has survived to the present day. A renovation completed in 2018 added a glass foyer and a café-bar opening onto the street. The theatre is known for original plays and its drama school, and actors such as Daniel Day-Lewis once studied here. You can buy tickets to performances or join a tour to see the backstage areas and the historic wooden stage machinery. King Street is a cobbled historic street with the 17th-century timber-framed Llandoger Trow pub and several craft beer bars, making it lively in the evening.
Opening hours
Show and tour times as listed on the official website
Nearby sights
- St Nicholas Market
- We The Curious
- Bristol Harbourside
- St Mary Redcliffe
- M Shed
- Bristol Cathedral
- Banksy's Well Hung Lover
- Wapping Wharf & Cargo