Actors give Bristol Old Vic special birthday messages

Some of the biggest names in stage and screen are paying tribute to the Bristol Old Vic tonight as it celebrate its 250th anniversary. Proceeds from a gala performance will go towards the theatre's major redevelopment.

The oldest working theatre in the English speaking world can also claim the greatest number of stars having started their careers here. And this evening many of them will return to mark two and a half centuries.

Lesley Manville, who was once in ITV's Emmerdale, is full of praise for the theatre.

Peter O'Toole, Patrick Stewart, Stephanie Cole, and Daniel Day-Lewis count Bristol as their first home and some can't stay away. Timothy West preparing to rekindle this love affair with this place.

As well as playing a part on stage Timothy West was once associate director and was also on the board of trustees for 6 years. He says he's seen it go through quite an eventful history.

Tomorrow (Monday) marks the actual 250th birthday when in and outside the Old Vic the public are invited to celebrate with a host of community groups through theatre, music, poetry, circus and dance. A state-of-the-art animation will then be projected onto the front of the building to reveal its look after its 18-month redevelopment starting next month.