“Sheer perfection - the gold standard of tragic romances whose influence can still be seen to this day […] One of the most vivid, impassioned and painfully believable love stories ever committed to celluloid”
DOORS: 18:15 | FILM STARTS 18:45
This September welcomes an exciting collaboration celebrating the 10th anniversary of Bristol Film Festival, the 60th anniversary of the Redgrave Theatre, and a British cinema star’s connections to the city.
We’ll be screening the acclaimed romantic drama Brief Encounter. Adapted by Noël Coward from one of his own plays, and helmed by celebrated British director David Lean, it is frequently cited as one of the greatest films of all time, including a British Film Institute poll naming it the 2nd greatest British film of the 20th Century (pushing three of Lean’s other films down the Top 10!).
The film marked Trevor Howard’s breakthrough performance as a leading man. Howard was educated at Clifton College and spent his formative years in the city; after his death he left a gift in his will to support performing arts in Clifton, with a private family memorial service taking place in the College’s Chapel. Howard was recently commemorated with a plaque in his honour on the Redgrave’s exterior.
The evening will be introduced by Festival Director Owen Franklin, who will be talking about Howard’s colourful life and career, before this true classic of British cinema returns to the big screen in one of the most fitting locations in the city in his honour.
PLEASE NOTE: ticketing for this event is being handled via the Redgrave Theatre. Please use the button below to access their booking page. Unfortunately we cannot process Red Carpet Club discounts or voucher codes for this event at this time.
About The Film
1945 | PG | 87 mins
Suburban housewife Laura is returning from a shopping trip when she has a chance meeting with a kindly stranger called Alec. As they innocently get to know each other, Laura finds herself developing feelings for Alec, and yearns for more than her loving but dull marriage – but can she truly risk hurting her family and losing all that she holds dear?
Contains adultery themes, suicide references
About The Location
Hidden away in the beautiful suburb of Clifton, the Redgrave Theatre is one of Bristol’s most popular theatres, hosting a wide variety of productions including operas, musicals, stand-up comedy, theatre and dance. The building’s tiered 315 seat auditorium and flat stage create an intimate space with excellent sightlines and good all round acoustics.
Built in 1966 by Clifton College, the Redgrave was originally known simply as the ‘Clifton College Theatre’. The design was based on the Mermaid theatre in London and it was the first purpose-built school theatre in the country. The theatre was officially opened by the actor Sir Michael Redgrave, an ex-student of the college. After Sir Michael's death in 1985 the building was renamed ‘The Redgrave Theatre’ in his honour.
Originally the theatre was only used for college events, but in the 1970s the decision was made for the Theatre to be hired out to local amateur dramatic groups during the holidays. Since then the popularity of the Redgrave has continued to grow; today, as well as continuing to host some of the same amateur dramatics groups that first visited the Theatre back in the 70s, the Theatre plays host to a variety of professional touring companies, comedians, film societies, music concerts and dance pieces.
Watch The Official Trailer
Getting Here
The Redgrave Theatre is located on Percival Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 3LE. Its what3words reference is actor.fairly.stow
When travelling by bus, the number 8 & 9 buses stop outside the former Bristol Zoo site; from there it's a short walk down College Road before turning right onto Percival Road.
The nearest train station is Clifton Down Station, which is around 20 minutes walk from the Theatre.
There is limited on-street parking in the surrounding area; please be mindful of Residential Parking Zones and meter timings.
Wherever possible, we encourage walking the use of public transport when travelling to our events.
The Redgrave Theatre offer a 20% partnership discount with Clifton Hotels when attending a show; visit their website for further information.
Accessibility
The main access to the auditorium is via two staircases; however, the Theatre has ground level access to the auditorium for wheelchair and restricted mobility users. To access this please ask a member of staff at the Box Office upon arrival to the theatre.
For full details of the venue’s accessibility information, see their website.
If you require subtitles, please contact us in advance of making your booking. Wherever possible we will source a subtitled print, but need advance notice as this can vary on a film-by-film basis and may require additional time to source/arrange.
We want to make your visit as enjoyable as possible, so please do not hesitate to contact us if you require further information about this venue’s accessibility.
Venue & Event Information
Doors for this event will open at 6:15PM (18:15).
Please do not bring your own food or drink into the venue.
The event begins at 6:45PM (18:45) with an introductory talk before the film. There will not be an interval.
FAQs
Can I buy food at the venue? Yes, the Redgrave Theatre has an onsite bar selling a range of drinks and theatre-style snacks.
I have a BuyAGift/Red Letter Days/other voucher. How do I redeem this for this event? Unfortunately we cannot process vouchers for this event as ticketing is handled externally. Head to this page for more information about redeeming Gift Vouchers at other Festival events.
Is my ticket refundable? Ticketing for this event is being managed by the Redgrave Theatre, who operate a 'no refunds’ policy - see their website for full details.