page from a volume of seating plans showing bookers for the Theatre Royal Bristol

This volume of seating plans for performances between 1791 and 1793 has the names of Theatre -goers written in, suggesting people booked their seats in advance of the performance. The names of the boxes are clearly marked with names of famous actors and writers, just as they are in the Theatre Auditorium today.

These plans don’t match our Auditorium layout; audience names have been written into a pre-made seating chart, rather than one designed especially for our Theatre . What the plans do prove is that Theatre in Bristol was immensely popular, and that 18th century audiences were determined not to miss a show.

This item was digitised by Bristol Archives as part of Bristol Old Vic’s “Protecting and Sharing the Heritage of Britain’s Oldest Theatre ” project, supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.