Bristol Old Vic announces autumn-winter season

As record-breaking musical Starter for Ten goes on sale to the general public tomorrow (Thu 20 Mar, 10am), Bristol Old Vic announced its full Autumn–Winter line-up of fun and Bristolian brilliance.

Bristol-inspired stories Treasure Island and Starter for Ten, Bristol writer Jack Thorne, and Bristol director Tanuja Amarasuriya all arrive at BOV for Autumn 2025.Tickets for the newly announced productions will go on Priority sale to members from 10am, Thu 20 Mar with the full season on General sale from 10am, Thu 27 Mar.

Kicking off in Sep with the return of previously announced Starter for Ten (10 Sep – 11 Oct). Following a record-breaking run at Bristol Old Vic in February 2024, Antic Productions, Bristol Old Vic, Longshot Films and Playtone are delighted to announce that the critically acclaimed new musical Starter for Ten® will return to Bristol Old Vic from 10 Sep – 11 Oct followed by two weeks at Birmingham Rep Theatre from 22 Oct – 1 Nov.

This bright and big-hearted new musical welcomes back acclaimed actress, presenter, comedian and writer Mel Giedroyc to reprise the role of Brian’s mum, ‘Irene Jackson’ and Bamber Gascoigne’s irresistible sidekick ‘Julia Bland’.

Mel Giedroyc said: “Buzzers at the ready – I’m beyond thrilled to be reunited with Starter for Ten! Our first run in Bristol was glorious – the audiences, the energy, the sheer joy – and to be returning to Bristol Old Vic feels like coming home (again). We’re bringing back the nail-biting competition, the romance, the wild ’80s-inspired original soundtrack that will have you throwing on a legwarmer, back-combing your hair till it’s as big as Thatcher’s and dancing like nobody’s watching. I am genuinely so proud of our show and cannot wait for even more people to see it!”

Based on the hilarious coming-of-age novel by David Nicholls (One Day, Us, Sweet Sorrow) and the popular 2006 film adaptation starring James McAvoy, Benedict Cumberbatch, James Corden and Rebecca Hall, this tale of love, class and growing up in the 1980s is set in Bristol against the backdrop of legendary British quiz show University Challenge. Further casting for the musical is to be announced soon.

From new musical to classic comedy as Private Lives visits the theatre from 28 Oct – 1 Nov. This Octagon Theatre Bolton, Mercury Theatre & Rose Theatre co-production, in association with Northern Stage, supported by a grant from The Royal Theatrical Support Trust, brings Noël Coward’s timeless comedy to venues across the UK.

Love and chaos collide in this production, directed by 2024 RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award-winner and Bristol-based Tanuja Amarasuriya. Tanuja is co-founder of Sleepdogs and a resident creative at Pervasive Media Studio, Bristol. As an Associate Director in the West End, she has worked with Dominic Cooke, Sophie Okonedo and David Tennant, and has just completed work as Staff Director on The Importance of Being Earnest at the National Theatre. She is also directing Tim X Atack’s queer sci-fi heartbreaker DELAY which opens in The Weston Studio at Bristol Old Vic this summer (19 Jun – 5 Jul).

Speaking today, Tanuja said: “I am absolutely made up that Private Lives is coming to Bristol Old Vic – my home theatre! The community in Bristol has nurtured my whole career, and in winning the 2024 RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award, I’m super proud to be sharing this production with my home team. Noel Coward’s Private Lives is a fabulous play – funny, sexy, shocking – and full of bittersweet truths about the complex difficulties of relationships. When I first read it, I was amazed at how modern these characters felt – and that’s what I want to share with audiences: a show that combines the glamour and screwball comedy thrill of the 1930s with an energy that speaks straight to 2025.”

Amanda and Elyot are charming, rich, utterly reckless – and divorced. When they meet unexpectedly on the first night of their honeymoons with new partners, on the balmy moonlight of the French Riviera, old flames reignite, and impulsive love takes hold. But they divorced for a reason, and their fiery romance soon spirals into a chaotic rite of passionate desire, slanging matches and outrageous battles.

In November international vampire hit Let the Right One In (4 – 15 Nov) arrives at the Theatre. A compelling coming-of-age story like no other, the stage adaptation is by Bristol writer Jack Thorne (Toxic Town, Netflix; His Dark Materials, NT; Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, West End; JunkYard, Bristol Old Vic), and based on the Swedish novel and film by Jon Ajvide Lindqvist.

Speaking ahead of the launch Jack Thorne said: “I am so excited Let the Right One In is coming to Bristol Old Vic. It is my home theatre, the one I still imagine in my head when I think of what a theatre looks like. It is also a place of rare beauty which makes it all the better. So inflicting blood and gore on the place is probably entirely wrong but Let the Right One In is also about difference and love – a love note to acceptance – and there is no better place for those themes than BOV!”

Lonely at home and bullied at school Oskar only has a Rubik’s Cube and his imagination for company. Then Eli moves in next door. Despite Eli’s odd odour of infected bandages and dead-dog, the teenagers develop a powerful and unusual friendship. But when a butchered body is found in a nearby forest, Oskar slowly unravels the truth about Eli and their strange bond is stretched to breaking point. Bristol Old Vic is delighted to present Trafalgar Theatre’s remount of the Royal Exchange’s original 2022 production.

Let the Right One In is a Royal Exchange Theatre revival of their 2022 hit production, directed by Bryony Shanahan. Presented in association with Marla Rubin Productions Ltd.

Christmas at Bristol Old Vic just got a bit more Bristol-y with the swashbuckling adventure Treasure Island (4 Dec – 10 Jan). This classic tale of hidden treasure and pirate-y peril has been brought to life as a new musical by The Great British Bake Off Musical and Adrian Mole The Musical creators Jake Brunger and Pippa Cleary.

From a Bristol tavern to the mighty oceans, join thrill-seeking teen Jim Hawkins as she charts a course to excitement and mystery aboard the mighty Hispaniola. This UK premiere directed by Paul Foster (The Cabinet Minister, Menier Chocolate Factory; White Christmas, Sheffield Crucible) is a daring adventure that will have everyone on the edge of their seats – landlubbers and salty seadogs alike!

Writers Jake Brunger and Pippa Cleary met at Bristol University and were inspired by their love of the city to create this reimagining of Robert Louis Stevenson’s greatest adventure novel. Speaking today: “We’re absolutely delighted to be making our BOV debut with Treasure Island. The two of us met at Bristol Uni 17 years ago so it means the world to us to be returning to a city that holds so many amazing memories. And to be back with Treasure Island – a Bristol inspired story – just adds that extra magic. We hope the city will join us on this full-throttle new musical adventure to an island far away – complete with catchy songs and much-loved characters like you’ve never seen them before. All aboard, me hearties!”

If you like your festive family fun a little gentler, back in Bristol for Christmas, the incomparably brilliant Little Bulb return with their winter warmer Antarctica as they take you on a journey armed with songs, clowning, puppets and plenty of snowy surprises. Only the bravest of explorers have ever set foot in the South Pole: a magical world of snow, ice and some of the most wondrous creatures on Earth. Will you be one of them? Suitable for ages 3+.

Speaking today, Little Bulb co-founder Clare Beresford said: “We’re over the moon to be bringing Antarctica back to Bristol Old Vic where we first created it in 2013! It was our very first show for children at the time and though it was a big learning curve we found that we absolutely loved creating work for that age range - their responses were priceless and the Owlarbear seemed to really ignite people’s imagination which was wonderful!   

We’ve been lucky enough to make many more family shows in amongst our other work since then, so we’re really excited to return to it 12 years later and bring all the experience we’ve gathered to make it even better.   Bristol Old Vic’s Studio is one of our absolute favourite venues so we’re honoured to be returning there this Christmas and to be initiating a whole new generation into The Brave Explorer’s Club!”

Described as “the cause of big joy' by The Observer, Little Bulb is an award-winning national touring company based in the South West of England.  Since forming in 2008 they have created a range of productions for all ages including Orpheus (Battersea Arts Centre), Mountain Music (Farnham Maltings), Wolf Witch Giant Fairy (Olivier-Award winner 2022 co-produced with Royal Ballet & Opera) and most recently The Nutcracker (Olivier Award nominee 2025 co-produced with Polka Theatre). Their latest show for families, Four Seasons (Bristol Old Vic Studio Christmas show 2023) is currently on tour across the UK.  They are thrilled to be bringing Antarctica back to the studio this Christmas.

Kicking off the new year will be Lost Atoms (13 – 24 Jan 2026), commissioned and produced by Frantic Assembly to mark their 30^th Anniversary, in a co-production with Curve, Mayflower Southampton and Lyric Hammersmith Theatre.

Lost Atoms is written by the phenomenal Anna Jordan (Succession, HBO; One Day, Netflix; Killing Eve, BBC America) and will be directed by Frantic Assembly’s Artistic Director Scott Graham with Set Design by Andrzej Goulding, Lighting by Simisola Majekodunmi, Sound by Carolyn Downing, Music Supervision by Julie Blake and Costume Design by Alice McNicholas. The production premieres at Leicester Curve in Sep 2025 and tours the country until the end of Feb 2026.
 
Lost Atoms tells the story of a relationship: an extraordinary, transformative love. Or is that only in hindsight? Perhaps it was just typical? Or toxic? Or doomed from the start? At times hilarious, at times devastating, Lost Atoms explores how memory impacts the way we look at love, and asks what makes a truly “successful” relationship?

BOV is thrilled to be able to welcome Frantic Assembly back after hugely popular productions including Metamorphosis in 2024 and Things I Know to be True in 2018.

The Paper Dolls, a Little Angel Theatre and Polka co-production, based on the bestselling book by Julia Donaldson, visits The Weston Studio for October Half Term (from 28 Oct – 1 Nov).

When a little girl makes a string of paper dolls, she takes them by the hand on a fantastical adventure. Whirling through the home and garden, they fly through the air, until they are confronted with some very sharp scissors…

The Paper Dolls comes to life with stunning puppetry and original music in this much-loved production.

Autumn fun continues with the smash hit drag extravaganza Margaret Thatcher Queen of Soho from 15 – 18 Oct. On the eve of the vote on Section 28, Maggie gets lost in Soho and accidentally becomes a cabaret superstar. Will she change her mind about the homophobic bill before it’s too late…?

Following four sell-out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe, a UK tour and a West End season, The Iron Lady is back and more fabulous than ever in this big gay odyssey about LGBT rights, the ’80s, and disco.

This is followed by Yippee Ki Yay, the acclaimed retelling (and unauthorised parody) of the Die Hard film. It arrives, guns blazing, from 22 – 25 Oct, from Fringe First winner and London Poetry Slam champion Richard Marsh and celebrates the iconic ’80s festive favourite while also telling the personal story of a life-long Die Hard fan.

Bristol Old Vic will also continue its hugely popular Sunday stand-up which this autumn includes the talents of Kieran Hodgson, Josie Long, Jen Brister, George Lewis and many more.