Bristol Hippodrome

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Bristol Hippodrome
Facade of the Bristol Hippodrome
Address	St Augustine's Parade
City	Bristol
Country	UK
Coordinates	51°27′11″N 2°35′53″W / 51.4531°N 2.5981°W / 51.4531; -2.5981Coordinates: 51°27′11″N 2°35′53″W / 51.4531°N 2.5981°W / 51.4531; -2.5981
Designation	Grade II
Architect	Frank Matcham
Owned by	Ambassador Theatre Group
Capacity	1,951
Type	Provincial
Opened	1912
Website
Bristol Hippodrome website at Ambassador Theatre Group

The Bristol Hippodrome (grid reference ST590729) is a theatre in the centre of Bristol, England with seating on three levels giving a capacity of 1,951. It frequently features West End theatre shows when they tour the UK, as well as regular visits by Welsh National Opera and an annual pantomime.

History

The theatre was designed by Frank Matcham for Oswald Stoll, and opened on 16 December 1912. It has been designated by English Heritage as a grade II listed building.^[1] An important feature of the theatre when it opened was a huge water tank at the front of the stage, which could be filled with 100,000 gallons (450,000 litres) of water. Along with the tank was a large protective glass screen which could be raised in order to protect the orchestra and those in the stalls. It also has a dome, which can be opened when necessary; however since air conditioning has been installed it is rarely opened.

The theatre survived World War II, but less than three years after it ended, a fire destroyed the stage, though not the auditorium. The theatre reopened about 10 months later, and there have been no other disasters as severe.

The theatre plays host to many top shows, such as Miss Saigon, Cats, Les Misérables, Blood Brothers and Of Mice and Men. This is due to the size of its stage, which is one of the largest outside London. In addition to large musicals it is also a venue for comedians such as Frankie Boyle, Ricky Tomlinson and Lee Mack, as well as children's shows such as Winnie the Pooh Live. The Bristol Hippodrome has strong links with many shows that frequently appear there, such as the Welsh National Opera.

In 2012, the theatre celebrated its centenary with a show called Thanks for the Memories, staged by amateur groups Bristol Light Opera Club and Bristol Musical Youth Productions.

Premieres

The theatre has staged a number of premieres including:

British premiere of Guys and Dolls in 1953
European premiere The Music Man in 1961
European premiere of Sail Away in 1962
British premiere of Jeeves in 1975
World premiere of Windy City in 1982
World premiere of The Nutcracker by the English National Ballet in 2002
World premiere of Mary Poppins in 2004

Gallery

Auditorium from Upper Circle
Auditorium Dome, last opened July 2012
Detail of Auditorium Left Boxes
Stage from Auditorium centre
Entrance from St Augustine's Parade
Auditorium from Upper Circle Box

References

↑ "The Hippodrome". Images of England. Retrieved 2007-03-21.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bristol Hippodrome.

v t e Culture in Bristol

Venues	Bierkeller Theatre Bristol Arena (proposed) Bristol Hippodrome Bristol Old Vic Colston Hall list of artists Cube Microplex O2 Academy Bristol QEH Theatre Redgrave Theatre St George's, Brandon Hill The Thekla Tobacco Factory Victoria Rooms Watershed Media Centre Wickham Theatre Winston Theatre

Festivals	Bristol Festival of Ideas Bristol Festival of Nature Bristol Harbour Festival Bristol International Balloon Fiesta Bristol International Kite Festival Bristol Shakespeare Festival St Pauls Carnival

Museums, galleries, archives and public art	Arnolfini Blaise Castle Blaise Hamlet At-Bristol Banksy Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery Bristol Harbour Railway Bristol Record Office Bristol Zoo Georgian House Glenside Museum Kings Weston Roman Villa M Shed Observatory Red Lodge Museum Royal West of England Academy See No Evil SS Great Britain

Parks	Parks of Bristol Ashton Court Blaise Castle Brandon Hill College Green The Downs Redland Green Queen Square Snuff Mills St George Park

Creative industries	Bristol record labels

Past attractions	Ashton Court Festival British Empire and Commonwealth Museum Industrial Museum

Churches	All Saints' Bristol Cathedral Bristol Community Church Buckingham Baptist Chapel Chapel of the Three Kings of Cologne Christ Church, Clifton Down Christ Church with St Ewen Church of Holy Trinity, Hotwells Church of Holy Trinity, Stapleton Church of the Holy Trinity with St Edmund Church of St John the Baptist, Bristol City Road Baptist Church Cotham Church Counterslip Baptist Church Clifton Cathedral Crofts End Church Holy Trinity Church, Kingswood Holy Trinity Church, Westbury on Trym New Room, Bristol Pro-Cathedral of the Holy Apostles St Mary Redcliffe Redland Chapel St. Augustine Church (Bristol) St Augustine the Less Church, Bristol St George's Church, Brandon Hill St James' Priory, Bristol St John the Baptist, Frenchay St Luke's Church, Brislington St Mark's Church, Bristol St Mary le Port Church, Bristol St Mary on the Quay St Mary's Church, Henbury St Matthews Church, Cotham St Michael on the Mount Without St Nicholas, Bristol St Peter and St Paul, Bristol St Peter, Bristol St Peters Church, Bishopsworth St Philip and Jacob, Bristol St Stephen's Church, Bristol St Thomas the Martyr, Bristol St Werburgh's Church, Bristol St. Paul's Church, Bristol Temple Church, Bristol Trinity Centre Whitefield's Tabernacle, Bristol Whitefield's Tabernacle, Kingswood Woodlands Christian Centre

Pubs	Black Castle Public House Clifton Down railway station The Coronation Tap Hatchet Inn, Bristol 17 King Street, Bristol King William Ale House Llandoger Trow Mauretania Public House Nova Scotia, Bristol The Old Duke Old Post Office, Bristol Palace Hotel, Bristol Printers Devil, Bristol Pump House, Bristol Seven Stars Public House, Bristol Shakespeare Inn, Bristol Shakespeare Public House, Bristol Stag and Hounds Public House The Crown, Bristol Clifton Lido and The Victoria Public House

v t e Ambassador Theatre Group

London West End Theatres	Apollo Victoria Theatre Duke of York's Theatre Fortune Theatre Harold Pinter Theatre Lyceum Theatre, London Phoenix Theatre Piccadilly Theatre Playhouse Theatre Savoy Theatre Trafalgar Studios

UK Regional Theatres	Aylesbury Waterside Theatre Bristol Hippodrome Churchill Theatre, Bromley Edinburgh Playhouse Grimsby Auditorium King's Theatre, Glasgow Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone Liverpool Empire Theatre Manchester Opera House Manchester Palace Theatre Milton Keynes Theatre New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham New Theatre Oxford New Victoria Theatre, Woking New Wimbledon Theatre Princess Theatre, Torquay Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent Rhoda McGaw Theatre, Woking Richmond Theatre Southport Theatre Sunderland Empire Theatre Royal, Brighton Theatre Royal, Glasgow Victoria Hall, Stoke on Trent York Grand Opera House

Broadway Theatre	Foxwoods Theatre

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