Imagine having the opportunity to work within an organisation that has provided a dramatic home for many of the greatest actors of the past 150 years. And - as if walking in the footsteps of the likes of Laurence Olivier, Vivien Leigh and John Gielgud weren't enough - you get to eat your Pret sandwiches in a building that appears in the diaries of Queen Victoria, the journalism of Charles Dickens, the dramatic criticism of William Hazlitt and the music criticism of George Bernard Shaw.
For an arts junkie, it looks like paradise. But is the day-to-day reality all free tickets to premieres, hobnobbing with the stars and as much free ice-cream as you can eat? Not quite, says Alice Holt, 28, who works behind the scenes as a development co-ordinator at the Old Vic, supporting the impresario chief executive Sally Greene.
Holt's offices are situated within the Old Vic theatre itself, a stone's throw from the South Bank in London's Waterloo. Her enthusiasm is immediately apparent. "No two working days are the same," she explains, from her converted dressing room of an office, complete with stage lights and a designer interior. Her offices do possess a touch of glamour, she confesses - the dressing rooms were designed by the likes of Stella McCartney and Vivienne Westwood.
"There is definitely a buzz of creativity emanating from here that makes for a frenetic but exciting working environment," she says. "My schedule can be disrupted at any moment. My job consists of coordinating our fundraising activities, which involve many forms, and reporting back to Sally," Holt adds, citing a forthcoming literary lunch at the Ivy with Jackie Collins as an example. "I also have to handle calls from corporate sponsors, and liaise with the company assisting us on guests and ticket sales."
Holt's fascination with the arts stems from her degree studies in drama and English at Surrey University. "I knew that I wanted to work in the arts in some capacity, but not on the stage itself," she explains.
For her role, Holt insists that good communication skills, a cheerful disposition and the ability to think on your feet are essential. "On the administration side, I type out mail-shots for distribution and reply to the regular letters that we receive. People often write to congratulate individual actors and the production team, which is great for morale. The myth of free tickets and goodies is not a reality, however, because we have to run the business at a profit; although I do keep abreast of our plays and see at least three in a season," she says, adding that it would be hard for someone to do her job if they didn't possess a passion for the arts.
"Even after a year, it's still a thrill to work among renowned actors. I've bumped into Helen Mirren and Simon Callow, and I've liaised with Stephen Daldry (director of the new film Billy Elliot) as he is on our board of trustees," says Holt. "There is an element of glamour, but physically seeing actors is where it stops."
What about the potential for nerves and stage fright to rub off onto the support staff? "There's no doubt that after weeks of rehearsals, the imminence of the opening night spills over into panic," she admits, alluding to last-minute errors in ticket allocation, and banners not being up in time as some of her regular headaches. "As a team, we feel an inevitable sense of triumph once the opening night has passed, and the after-show parties make it all worthwhile," she says with a smile.
There have been big changes at the Old Vic in recent years. "I do feel privileged to work alongside a woman with as much willpower and energy as Sally," says Holt, pointing to Greene's work with the Old Vic Trust, which saved the building from being turned into a lap-dancing club, among other suggestions, by buying it for £3.5m. Holt's schedule has certainly upped in pace since the Oscar-winning star of American Beauty, Kevin Spacey, pledged to perform at the Old Vic in order to attract great writers, actors and directors back to the theatre. Greene has assembled a board of directors, including Dame Judi Dench, which will see Spacey acting as a consultant. "I personally saw Spacey when he flew to London in July and needless to say I was extremely excited," says Holt. "We have a lot of work ahead of us, but we like working hard and playing hard."