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 Façade of the Bristol Hippodrome | |
  Bristol Hippodrome. position within England | |
| Address | St Augustine's Parade Bristol England, United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 51°27′11″N2°35′53″W / 51.4531°N 2.5981°W /51.4531; -2.5981 |
| Owner | Ambassador Theatre Group |
| Designation | |
Listed Building – Grade II | |
| Official name | The Hippodrome |
| Designated | 4 March 1977 |
| Reference no. | 1282137 |
| Type | Provincial |
| Capacity | 1,951 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1912 |
| Architect | Frank Matcham |
| Website | |
| Bristol Hippodrome website at ATG Entertainment | |
TheBristol Hippodrome (grid referenceST590729) is atheatre located inThe Centre,Bristol,England, United Kingdom with seating on three levels giving a capacity of 1,951. It frequently features shows from London'sWest End when they tour theUK, as well as regular visits byWelsh National Opera and an annualpantomime.
The theatre was designed byFrank Matcham forOswald Stoll, and opened on 16 December 1912. It has been designated byEnglish Heritage as a grade IIlisted 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 survivedWorld 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.
American musicianEddie Cochran played his final show here, in 1960, and was killed in a road accident only hours later, inChippenham, Wiltshire. Also George Formby played his last performance at the theatre on 14 January 1961.
The theatre plays host to many top shows, such asPhantom of the Opera,Miss Saigon,Cats,Les Misérables,Blood Brothers,Wicked andOf 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 asRussell Howard,Frankie Boyle,Ricky Tomlinson andLee Mack, as well as children's shows such asWinnie the Pooh Live. The Bristol Hippodrome has strong links with many shows that frequently appear there, such as theWelsh National Opera.
In 2012, the theatre celebrated its centenary with a show calledThanks for the Memories, staged by amateur groups Bristol Light Opera Club and Bristol Musical Youth Productions.
The theatre has staged a number of premieres including:
Review of last ever George Formby performance in the Bristol Evening World and inFootprints, David Foot's Lifetime of Writingby Stephen Chalke.
