Sir Patrick Stewart | Remembered

There are some people whose connection to a theatre endures long after they have left its stage. 

For Sir Patrick Stewart, Bristol Old Vic was one of those places.

In 2020, during the uncertainty of the Covid pandemic, Patrick recorded a special video for us in support of the theatre’s fundraising campaign.  Speaking from afar, he shared memories of his time in Bristol and reflected on a theatre that had remained special to him for more than half a century.

Today, as we remember Patrick Stewart and the extraordinary contribution he made to theatre, film and television, we wanted to share that video once again.

In it, Patrick recalls arriving in Bristol as a student at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and how often he would visit the theatre, sitting at the back of the gallery watching actors such as Peter O'Toole perform on the Bristol Old Vic stage. He speaks with warmth about the excitement and possibility he felt as a young actor finding his feet.

Not long afterwards, in 1965, he began his professional acting career with Bristol Old Vic. Yet what is most striking in his reflections is not the story of an actor at the start of an illustrious career, but the affection he continued to feel for a theatre that played a small part in his journey.

As his career took him around the world, he never forgot Bristol. His support during the pandemic was offered freely and generously. This was not an obligation or a publicity appearance but a genuine love letter to the theatre and a reminder of the importance he placed on protecting cultural institutions for future generations.

That generosity can still be found inside the building today. As a sponsor of one of our auditorium seats, Patrick chose a simple inscription:

"Where it all began."

It is a phrase that speaks not only to the beginning of a remarkable career, but also to the gratitude and loyalty he carried with him throughout his life.