Bristol Old Vic has announced a bold upcoming autumn season of productions, in what Artistic Director Tom Morris describes as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build a better world”.
The long-awaited world premières of six shows will be showcased in-person and online as part of the theatre’s commitment to providing an extensive digital output.
Amongst the announced shows were Mark Rylance’s Dr Semmelweis 18 months on from its original production date, Olivier-winning director Sally Cookson’s Wonder Boy and a new take on Wuthering Heights by Emma Rice.
“We can see the obstacles, the leadership challenges, the mistakes, the dishonesty, but our job as a theatre is to hold a space in which we can understand what some of that change might be,” said Morris.
“We all need a cracking night out this autumn. We all need the highest quality of theatrical storytelling. But we need stories of change and challenge too.”
Rylance, who is set to return to his career-defining role as Rooster in Jerusalem later this year, said: “I’m particularly pleased that chance has led me to this place, where I’m going to be part of the revival of theatre in the regional cities. I can’t think of a better theatre to do this than Bristol Old Vic"
Cookson, who is directing local writer Ross Willis’s debut play Wonder Boy, said: “I watched the workshop production and was blown away by the writing. I’d never seen a piece of writing that made me feel like this.
“Ross Willis is a unique writer with a completely individual voice and it felt so important to get Ross into Bristol Old Vic and première his first play on the main stage.”
The season will kick off with Olivier-winning actor Giles Terera’s The Meaning of Zong, which has been jointly commissioned and developed by Bristol Old Vic and the National Theatre.
“When I first started exploring this story, I felt very strongly that there was a connection between today and the 18th century when these events took place,” said Terera.
“History isn’t just history, it’s a continual conversation with the present. It’s a play about us, now.”
The Wardrobe Ensemble’s Robin Hood: The Legend of the Forgotten Forest was also announced as Bristol Old Vic’s Christmas pick.
Autumn / winter 2021–2022
- A Bristol Old Vic production commissioned by the National Theatre and Bristol Old Vic: The Meaning Of Zong written by Giles Terera, directed by Giles Terera and Tom Morris 11 September–2 October 2021
- A National Theatre, Wise Children, Bristol Old Vic and York Theatre Royal co-production: Wise Children’s Wuthering Heights based on the novel by Emily Brontë, adapted and directed by Emma Rice, 9 October–6 November 2021
- A Bristol Old Vic and The Wardrobe Ensemble co-production: Robin Hood: Legend Of The Forgotten Forest devised by the company, directed by Tom Brennan and Helena Middleton, 25 November 2021–8 January 2022
- A Bristol Old Vic production in association with Sonia Friedman Productions, the National Theatre and Shakespeare Road: Dr Semmelweis by Stephen Brown with Mark Rylance, based on an original idea by Mark Rylance, directed by Tom Morris, 20 January–12 February 2022
- A Bristol Old Vic production: Wonder Boy written by Ross Willis, directed by Sally Cookson, 5–26 March 2022