Bringing Magic to Primary Schools: Autumn Tours ’25 Now Booking

Published on:
4th June 2025

For over four decades, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School has been bringing the wonder of live theatre directly into primary schools across the region. This autumn, we’re thrilled to continue this tradition with two brand-new productions from writer and director Liz Felton (The Story Cellar) that promise to captivate young audiences.

We’ll be hitting the road in November and December with two new tales for children – although you might recognise some of the characters…

In Wonderland (touring 3 to 14 Nov), follow Alice as she navigates her inner thought storms while discovering the gifts that come with her unique perspective. In Once Upon a Winter (touring 24 Nov to 4 Dec), Robin transforms his preference for solitude into a creative superpower that unlocks extraordinary adventures.

Both tales gently explore neurodiversity through magical journeys, showing children that their differences aren’t obstacles but special strengths that make them who they are. These productions are perfectly tailored for primary school audiences (ideal for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, but accessible and enjoyable for Reception).

Each hour-long performance is packed with:

• Interactive music and singing that gets children involved
• Puppetry and familiar characters to spark imagination
• Professional-standard production values delivered by our students
• Meaningful themes that help children understand and celebrate differences

We believe every child deserves to experience the magic of live performance. At just £600 (including VAT), our touring shows offer exceptional value for schools. Even better, we’re offering free drama workshops for schools that want to extend the creative experience on the same day as the performance (limited availability).

We’ve made booking as simple as possible with our new online reservation system. You can hold your preferred date and time slot without any upfront payment – our finance department will be in touch at a later date to finalise invoicing.

So, whether you’re a teacher looking to enrich your pupils’ learning experience, a PTA member seeking engaging school events, or a parent hoping to bring professional-standard theatre to your child’s school, these productions offer something truly special.

Book for Wonderland

Book for Once Upon A Winter

It was always stressed that the contacts you make during your training are incredibly important, and your classmates are likely to end up being on set alongside you in the future. After working with a director of photography on one of the School’s short films, I was invited to work on a project with him outside of Bristol - proving that the professionals we meet via the School, may one day give us a call to action! Muir McFadden, Technical Graduate