Further Details Of Bristol Old Vic's Summer-Winter Programme Announced

Further details of the Bristol Old Vic's productions taking the theatre up to Jan 2019 were revealed today.

Bristol Old Vic, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and Diverse City collaboration The Elephant Man (currently in rehearsals) has confirmed that it will increase audience access during its two-week run. The show will include integrated captioning at every performance, audio description and touch tours, BSL interpretation, and, in a first for Bristol Old Vic, relaxed performances for all (14+ yrs), not just for young families. Bristol Old Vic is also trialling more user-friendly wheelchair positions in the Georgian auditorium with a view to including them permanently in the future.

The two lead actors in Tom Morris' ambitious new production Touching the Void were also announced today. Rising stars, Josh Williams and Edward Hayter will play climbers Joe Simpson and Simon Yates respectively in this world premiere. This Bristol Old Vic, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, Royal & Derngate, Northampton and Fuel co-production marks the 30th anniversary of the publication of Simpson's best-selling memoir, charting his battle back from the brink of death on the treacherous Siula Grande Mountain. The award-winning book has been adapted for the stage by The Lyceum's Artistic Director, David Greig.

Touching the Void and Twelfth Night, both co-productions with Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh today announced extensions to their runs in Bristol, due to popular demand. Touching the Void now running until 6 October and Twelfth Night until 17 Nov.

These Bristol Old Vic productions are joined by inspiring visitors old and new - Phoenix Dance Theatre bring their critical hit Windrush: Movement of the People to the theatre celebrating the 70th anniversary of the arrival of SS Empire Windrush (10 Oct), Chocolate Cake based on the poem by Michael Rosen (24-28 Jul), and one-night comedy from Jeremy Hardy, Ruby Wax, Elis James & John Robins and Marcus Brigstock.

The Studio Walkabout is still marching through the city and this season includes Rash Dash's radical reimagining of Chekhov's Three Sisters hosted by the Tobacco Factory (12-16 Jun), alongside Blah's Big Weekend at the Wardrobe Theatre (15-17 Jun)and the return of regular Halloween fixture The Spooky Ship aboard the SS Great Britain (31 Oct-3 Nov).

Christmas at Bristol Old Vic has always been something special and we're delighted to be able to return to a full house of productions for all ages, taking full advantage of the new spaces on offer. The main Theatre production A Christmas Carol is already on sale, with the creative team announced today. Tom Morris (Swallows & Amazons, The Grinning Man) will be adapting Dicken's classic story, working with director Lee Lyford (The Snow Queen) who is reunited with The Snow Queen's creative team, designer Tom Rogers and composer Gwyneth Herbert for this musical festive treat. (29 Nov-13 Jan).

Sitting alongside A Christmas Carol this winter is Chloe and the Colour Catcher a co-production with Ad Infinitum for ages 4-7. The new Weston Studio will be transformed into a vibrant world of colour and rhyme in this wholly original tale about bravery, self-expression and fighting for what your heart knows to be true (30 Nov-6 Jan).

Following on from last year's sell out show for 0-3 years, Ice Ice Baby, The Weston Studio's intimate and fully accessible sister space Coopers' Loft Studio will be home to our co-production with Travelling Light, Igloo, a sensory experience filled with sights, sounds and play for toddlers and babes in arms (8 Dec-6 Jan).

For all the grown-ups out there who are in need of a festive shot of fun too, join Living Spit in The Weston Studio for their wholly irreverent Living Spit's Nativity (14-22 Dec).

The first productions for the inaugural Weston Studio season go on sale to the general public from 10am on Wed 12 June, with a programme of in-house and visiting productions inspired by the space's commitment to invention.

The programme includes the Bristol Ferment-supported works Hollering Woman Creek, the latest work from Amy Mason whose production Mass took Bristol audiences by storm (16-20 Oct); A Little Death (16-20 Oct) from Vic Llewellyn (The Castle Builder) and Oh Europa (20 Oct) celebrating the return of Action Hero (Wrecking Ball). The unstoppable Bristol Old Vic Associate Company, Firebird Theatre, return with their majestic A Spark and a Beating Heart (25-28 Oct) and Bristol Old Vic Theatre School present Clybourne Park (9-17 Nov). In addition, from 30 Oct-3 Nov, Little Angel theatre bring their magical Sleepyhead for ages 2-5 while ages 12+ can experience a massive dollop of craziness with Living Spit's Giants of Science (30 Oct-3 Nov).

In November, one of theatre's recent heavyweight productions The Mountaintop comes to The Weston Studio (21-24 Nov). Katori Hall's sharp and powerful play was originally presented at the Young Vic. This Reading Rep, Nuffield Theatres and Desara Bosnja co-production is set at the height of the American Civil Rights Movement, on the night before Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s death.

Bristol Old Vic is the longest continuously running theatre in the UK, and celebrated its 250th anniversary in 2016. Under Artistic Director Tom Morris and Chief Executive Emma Stenning, the historic playhouse aims to inspire audiences with its own original productions, both at home and on tour, whilst nurturing the next generation of artists, whether that be through their 350-strong Young Company, their many outreach and education projects or their trailblazing artist development programme, Bristol Ferment.

They use their funding to support experiment and innovation, to allow access to their programme for people who would not otherwise encounter it, or be able to afford it, and to keep their extraordinary heritage alive and animated.

Since 2016, while the theatre continues to present work, it has simultaneously been undergoing a multi-million pound redevelopment project to transform its front of house space into a warm and welcoming public building for all of Bristol to enjoy, create a new Studio Theatre and open up its unique theatrical heritage to the public for the first time. The project is due to be completed in autumn 2018.

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