10 . Bristol Old Vic
When the Theatre Royal (now Bristol Old Vic) was built, electricity hadn’t been discovered. For over 250 years the people who have owned, worked inside and visited the theatre have kept records about their activity. These are kept safe at the University of Bristol Theatre Collection, and you’ll discover a range of documents which record the history of the theatre, from its foundation in 1764 up until the present day. Here are some of them.
BEGINNING In 1764 businessmen Alexander Edgar and Thomas Symons suggested building a new theatre between Baldwin Street and the back of Coopers’ Hall in King Street. The estimated cost was f2, 000 to be split among 40 subscribers, but the building work cost more than expected. Owning shares allowed them to influence decisions about the theatre.
SILVER TICKET Each of the original Bristol Old Vic shareholders was given a silver ticket that promised sight of any performance held at the theatre. As the holders were clever businessmen, they insisted that the silver tickets could be loaned or traded. This enabled them to make some extra money but made it extremely difficult for the theatre managers to keep track of who was allowed to see shows for free.
250TH BIRTHDAY In May 2016, the theatre celebrated its 250th birthday! As the oldest continuously-working theatre in the English-speaking world, it deserved a proper party, so Bristol-based Limbic Cinema was hired to create a film of the theatre’s historical highlights which was projected (放映) onto the theatre itself.
1. Where can you find the three mentioned documents?
A.At Baldwin Street. |
B.At Coopers’ Hall in King Street. |
C.At Bristol-based Limbic Cinema. |
D.At the University of Bristol Theatre Collection. |
2. How was the theatre’s 250th birthday celebrated?
A.By creating a film about its history. |
B.By building Bristol-based Limbic Cinema. |
C.By releasing silver ticket in memory of the birthday. |
D.By making a film projected in theatres across England. |
3. What’s the purpose of the text?
A.To compare the theatre and others. |
B.To change people’s view on Bristol Old Vic. |
C.To introduce some information of Bristol Old Vic. |
D.To recommend a movie related to the theatre. |