Winston Theatre


The Winston Theatre is a traditional proscenium arch theatre located in the University of [Bristol Union|Bristol Students' Union] building, one of the largest students' union buildings in Great Britain. The theatre seats 204, with 5 additional seats for the Front of House staff and 2 spaces for wheelchairs.
The Theatre has an orchestra pit, fly galleries with winchable lighting bars and hemp bars, a control room, an FOH sound location, two dressing rooms, and a sliding scenery dock door at the rear of the stage.
In April 2013 the theatre was temporarily closed for refurbishment as part of the wider refurbishment of the students' union building, and re-opened in February 2015.

History

The Winston Theatre was built in the 1960s as part of the Students' Union building on Queens Road in Clifton, Bristol. The Union moved to this new location in 1965 from the Victoria Rooms, as a larger premises due to the large expansion of the University and increase in undergraduate numbers.

Refurbishment

Between 2013 and 2015, as part of the renovation work to the Union building, the Winston theatre was refurbished. The Stage Technicians' Association worked closely with the Union, Galliford Try and Stage Electrics to design a space which was suitable for their current needs, and would also remain up to date as technology moved on.

Technical

  • Total of 600A 3 Phase power to theatre
  • * 200A 3 Phase feed for dimming circuits
  • * 200A 3 Phase feed for technical power
  • * 200A 3 Phase feed for audio circuits
  • 132 10A Dimmer channels
  • 16 Relay channels
  • 3 Winched bars on stage
  • Chain hoist bar on stage
  • Fixed grid above auditorium
  • 6 Front of house booms
  • Patch panels available at most locations, all fed to a single rack. Panels may contain:
  • * DMX
  • * XLR
  • * Ethernet
  • * BNC
  • * Speakon
  • * Intercom A/B

Notable events and productions