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The Hippodrome celebrates – Like so many places in the West during the Second World War the Bristol Hippodrome was used for so many things, other than its original purpose. Namely, during the air raids the orchestra pit would be used as a makeshift air raid shelter, where the band would continue to play. On VE Day the Hippodrome was playing host to Arsenic and Old Lace, the Brooklyn-based black comedy. Hippodrome historian Gerry Parker describes the scene when manager George Higgs interrupted the play to announce the news that the war was over. Image: The Arsenic and Old Lace programme, courtesy of the Bristol Hippodrome.