Bristol Old Vic Theatre School Bristol Old Vic Theatre School The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School is a drama school in Bristol, England that provides training in acting for film, television and theatre. It is one of the most prestigious drama schools in the United Kingdom, founded by Laurence Olivier in 1946. The Old Vic Theatre School is an affiliate of the Conservatoire for Dance and Drama. Its higher education awards are validated by the University of the West of England, and its students graduate alongside members of UWE Bristol's Faculty of Arts, Creative Industries and Education. The School began life in October 1946, only
The Old Vic already known as the "Old Vic". The "penny lectures" given in the hall led to the foundation of Morley College. An endowment from the estate of Samuel Morley led to the creation of the "Morley Memorial College for Working Men and Women" on the premises, which were shared; lectures were given back stage, and in the theatre dressing rooms. The adult education college moved to its own premises nearby in the 1920s. With Emma Cons's death in 1912 the theatre passed to her niece Lilian Baylis, who emphasised the Shakespearean repertoire. The Old Vic Company was established in 1929, led