National Theatre

National Theatre, London (officially renamed the Royal National Theatre of Great Britain on its Silver Jubilee in 1988). The establishment of a permanent state-subsidized theatre in London, on the lines of the Comédie-Française, was first suggested by David Garrick in the 18th century, and in the 19th century both Irving and Bulwer-Lytton were enthusiastic supporters of the idea. It was not until 1908, however, that a committee was set up to investigate the possibility of opening such a theatre in 1916 to celebrate the tercentenary of Shakespeare's death. A large sum of money had been subscribed and a foundation stone laid on a site in Gower Street when the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 brought the project to a standstill. In 1938 another site in South Kensington was acquired and a second foundation stone laid by G. B. Shaw. The outbreak of the Second World War a year later caused further delay, and it was not until 1951 that the idea was taken up again. A more ambitious plan was launched, and the site moved to the South Bank of the Thames, where a third foundation stone was laid. In 1961 a decision was taken to found a National Theatre company under Laurence Olivier, to be housed in the Old Vic Theatre pending the erection of a new building on a site downstream from the third foundation stone, below Waterloo Bridge. Performances began at the Old Vic in 1963.

The new building, designed by Denys Lasdun, is a vast complex housing three theatres with extensive backstage accommodation, rehearsal rooms, and workshops, dressing rooms for 150 actors, and a large foyer for exhibitions and informal entertainment. Work began on the site in 1969 and on 16 Mar. 1976 the first theatre, the Lyttelton, gave its opening performance, followed on 25 Oct. by the Olivier and on 4 Nov. 1977 by the Cottesloe. The South Bank Theatre Board is responsible for the structure. In 1973, after Olivier had resigned owing to ill health, Peter Hall took over, remaining until 1988. He was succeeded by Richard Eyre as Artistic Director, working jointly with David Aukin as Executive Director until the latter's departure in 1990. A full UK touring programme was initiated in 1989 with a joint production of Molière's The Misanthrope with the Bristol Old Vic. The National Theatre Studio opened in 1984 under Peter Gill. An experimental workshop which encourages new writing, it is based in the Old Vic Annexe.