The Future is Bright: The Future is Bristol as Bristol Old Vic Launches New Season Today

Hot on the heels of the theatre's eye-popping 250th year of celebration and its record-breaking productions, Bristol Old Vic is making its theatre fit for the next quarter of a millennium. As the Front of House redevelopment pushes forward, uncovering remarkable treasures from the past, the 2017 artistic programme has every bit of the forward-looking spirit which has kept the theatre alive for 250 extraordinary years.

Bristol Old Vic today announced a season full of pioneering delights from this century's hottest companies and directors, the next cross-generational collaboration from Bristol Old Vic and the Theatre School, and the thrilling return of Bristol director Emma Rice for Christmas 2017. This also runs alongside an unprecedented level of engagement between the theatre and its city; taking Bristol Old Vic into every corner, joining forces with the creative flair running through the communities we represent and telling the stories that make us who we are.

These productions go on sale to priority bookers today and on general sale from 21 February.

THEATRE LEGENDS JOIN FORCES WITH THE STARS OF THE FUTURE

Star Wars Ace Julian Glover returns to his favourite theatre to play the title role in Julius Caesar alongside the graduating year of Bristol Old Vic Theatre School students. This ground-breaking initiative casts seasoned professional actors Julian Glover (Game of Thrones, Star Wars) and Lynn Farleigh (Wycliffe, Pride & Prejudice) alongside the graduating stars of the future, passing on vast experience and knowledge down the generations and creating a truly electrifying production. This is the second collaboration of this type, after the anniversary saw Tim West playing King Lear, alongside Stephanie Cole (the Fool) and David Hargreaves (Gloucester).

Speaking today, Julian Glover said: "Tim West, an old Bristol school friend of mine told me what a wonderful experience he had last year in a similar collaboration between the Theatre and the School. I'm hoping the students may find some of my experiences useful to them as they start their own careers and may in turn teach me a thing or two. To be able to work in this ground-breaking way, in one of Shakespeare's greatest political dramas, is tremendously exciting - to do so in a theatre I love, is even more special."

HEART-MELTING CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR THE CITY

Emma Rice returns to her hometown this Christmas with a reworking of her huge hit The Little Matchgirl and other Happier Tales, which played at Shakespeare's Globe last year, where Emma is Artistic Director.

Speaking today, Emma Rice said: "Created for the candlelit Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, The Little Matchgirl isn't a show that should just pack up and move anywhere. No, this precious jewel of a show needs a very special home and I always knew that it should be Bristol. Perhaps it is the Georgian stage and intimate auditorium of Bristol Old Vic that made it the perfect fit? Or the fact that it is my home town and filled with treasured histories, personal and professional? Or perhaps because of the legendary audience; vocal, fun, fierce and loyal? Of course, it is all of these things, bundled together to create the perfect match for my box of story magic. Gentle, curious, ancient and powerful, this show is a special one and needs to be shared with those I know and love best; my extended Bristol friends and family. I, for one, can't wait to bring The Little Matchgirl home."

This poignant tale about a little girl conjuring stories from the matches she strikes to keep warm, is considered the most heart-rending of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales. Full of music, laughter, puppetry and magic, the spell-binding stories of The Princess and the Pea, The Emperor's New Clothes and Thumbelina come alive and ask us all to consider the true meaning of Christmas. We are thrilled to be able to share this exquisite production with Bristol audiences, finishing the year off in heart-melting style.

"THE SEXIEST THEATRE COMPANY IN TOWN"

The year is also full of inspirational visiting companies, bringing some of the UKs most innovative work to the city. Theatre Company 1927 return to Bristol Old Vic with their smash-hit Golem as part of an international tour. Heralded as "officially the sexiest theatre company in town", 1927 blend performance, live music and animation in ground-breaking ways, Using the Golem myth to explore man's relationship with his machines, its UK premiere in 2015 at the Young Vic received huge critical and audience acclaim and was described as "Kafka meets Little Shop of Horrors."

NEW ASSOCIATE COMPANY Headlong Theatre RETURN TWICE IN THE YEAR

Fresh from collaborating on Junkyard (multi-award winning Jack Thorne teams up with Oscar-winning composer Stephen Warbeck on an epic tale of teenage courage and vision), Headlong will bring People Places & Things direct from its sold-out seasons at the National Theatre and the West End.

THE OLDEST AND NEWEST SHOWS FROM BRISTOL'S BELOVED KNEEHIGH THEATRE

Bristol Old Vic is also welcoming back its adopted Cornish cousins Kneehigh, bringing two of their most beloved tales back to the theatre. In July, the legendary Cornish love story Tristan and Yseult will return. This production, which catapulted Kneehigh onto the national stage, is one of Kneehigh's most loved shows; full of comedy, live music, grand passion and tender truths. In 2014 and 2015 it toured the US and returns to launch a tour of the UK beginning at Bristol Old Vic. The Kneehigh/Bristol Old Vic co-production The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk follows in August, again launching a UK tour from Kneehigh's adopted Bristol home. Having premiered at Bristol Old Vic in May 2016, it tells the story of the love affair between the painter Marc Chagall and his wife Bella, who were immortalised on canvas as the picture of romance, while in reality, they walked through some of the most devastating times in history.

250th BIRTHDAY LEGACY - YOUR CITY, YOUR THEATRE, YOUR STAGE

The highlight of Bristol Old Vic's 250th birthday celebrations last year was Bristol Open Stage, an invitation to the people of the city to take over the historic theatre stage, culminating in a wildly joyous performance in May. It was a phenomenal success with over 350 participants, an audience of over 1000 and is something Bristol Old Vic has been determined to continue as part of the 250th Birthday legacy. Celebrating and acknowledging Bristol Old Vic's unique relationship with its city, for one day only, this free event will take place on 29 May, giving everyone the opportunity to share their stories on the stage.

These productions will join those already on sale: major new Greek tragedy Medea directed by Bristol Old Vic associate director George Mann (Pink Mist) which weaves the ancient myth together with a modern day story of a mother's fight for her children, and a new stage adaptation of La Strada directed by Bristol's own Sally Cookson. There is also the award-winning Escaped Alone by Caryl Churchill, The Winter's Tale presented by Cheek by Jowl and BalletBoyz new work Life. These join the long-awaited return of the Bristol Proms 2013 phenomenon Messiah, staged by Tom Morris and featuring The Erubus Ensemble and Europe's most celebrated Baroque orchestra, The English Concert.

BRISTOL'S THEATRE TELLING BRISTOL'S STORIES

Around this mouth-watering programme, our Engagement team will spend this year harnessing the transformative power of theatre to create participation opportunities for young people and the disenfranchised in Bristol and across the South West. We recognise the need to take opportunities out of the theatre and into the wider community we serve. This year, while Bristol Old Vic's redevelopment is taking place, our projects will be popping up all over the city, inspired by the creative spirit that makes Bristol so special. There are community projects taking place in Southmead, Lockleaze and Melksham enabling Bristol to share the stories that makes us who we are. This is in addition to our Engagement team's weekly Youth Theatre sessions in seven secondary schools across Bristol and also in six Bristol Primary schools. This runs alongside our weekly workshops, rehearsals and shows taking place at Bristol Old Vic for over 350 young people aged 5-25 as part of Bristol Old Vic's award-winning Young Company.

FERMENT FUTURES

Ferment, Bristol Old Vic's industry-leading artist development initiative, has also announced four new scholarships in partnership with The Leverhulme Trust. These scholarships will run until February 2018 and will enable artists living and making work in the South West to explore their own artistic practice with the support of Ferment. This will include support from the Ferment team, sharing work in progress during Bristol Old Vic's scratch festival, Ferment Fortnight, and exploring how this support can help artists to experiment creatively.

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