Bristol Old Vic Theatre School

The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School stands in Clifton, a leafy district of Bristol. It began in 1946 above a fruit merchant’s warehouse near the Theatre Royal, with help from Sir Laurence Olivier. After eight years in cramped quarters, profits from the musical Salad Days bought two Victorian villas in Downside Road. The school moved there in 1956 and has occupied the same site ever since. Its Slade/Reynolds Studio, built later, honours the writers of Salad Days. The buildings sit among tall trees and quiet streets, a calm setting for intense training. The school is one of the most selective drama schools in the world, taking only 28 students a year from about 2,500 applicants. Its alumni include Christopher Biggins, Brian Blessed, Samantha Bond and Olivia Colman. Many teachers were leading figures such as Rudi Shelly, who taught for decades. The school also runs tours across the West Country, a tradition that started in the 1950s at Dartington Hall. Its studios in former BBC buildings now serve students and media clients alike. The school remains a respected place to learn every aspect of theatre, film and television. Inside, students work in modern sound studios, editing suites and scenic workshops. They rehearse in local venues like the Redgrave Theatre and the Bristol Old Vic complex. The Drama Studio at the University of Bristol once hosted their productions. The school’s graduates hold key roles on stage and screen worldwide. Though it no longer accepts new undergraduates, it continues to run postgraduate courses and plans new training from 2026. The quiet villas in Clifton still echo with the voices of future actors and technicians.