Hi, im a student at UWE in bristol, im staying in halls @ 33 colston street.
We know from speaking to contractors that there was once and still is (derelict) a theatre on site. It backs out on the the very end of trenchard street.
Does anyone know anything about this place?
I'd be so interested to know!
Richard

You can get me at: windsor_richard@hotmail.com

Thank you

Small theatre built in Colston Hall. It opened with RC Carston's "Other People's Worries" on 12th December 1923. Home to the Little Theatre Company and the Rapier Players. Closed down late 1940s early 1950s

Bristol theatre couple Peggy Ann Wood and Ronald Russell ran the Rapier Players at the Little Theatre
for many years.
In 1937 she married Ronald Russell, the producer of the Rapier Players and between them they provided a training ground for many actors including Timothy West, Michael Hordern and Constance Chapman. During the war, Peggy Ann Wood ran the theatre whilst Ronnie served in the Police War Reserves, and once the Prince's Theatre in Park Row had been bombed in November 1940, the Rapier Players provided the only live theatre in the city of Bristol. The contribution of Ronnie Russell and Peggy Ann Wood to the theatrical heritage of Bristol was commemorated with a Blue Plaque Ceremony in July 2002, which is situated on the outside of Colston Hall, Bristol.

Thanks for your reply!
Are you sure we are talking about the same place?
From my understanding, the 'little theatre' is within the main colston hall building, it is currently used as a bar.
The theatre we are interested in is actually within my building (33 colston street, 2 doors up from colston hall). From what i can gather the main entrance would have been onto colston street, now used as the entrance for my halls, and the rear stage doors back onto trenchard street, these are still there but boarded up.
Any ideas? When was the last time it might have been used?
Thanks for your detailed reply, i hope i can unearth some of this places secrets.
Richard

This is not the Little Theatre (now the Colston Hall Bar) but was a part of 33 Colston St when it was used by the YMCA. It was a fair sized theatre with a decent stage and was later used during the late 1980's as part of the Top Spot Snooker Club which used ths site. I saw the Folk- rock band Fairport Convention play there in (i believe)1988. It's a real shame that it's derelict as venues of this size and type in central Bristol are few and far between and would be undoubtedly used by local am-dram groups as well as for smaller concerts.