National Theatre
National Theatre Permanent theatre company usually subsidized by the state and housed in one venue, where national classics of drama are performed in repertory. The oldest national theatre is the Comédie-Française in Paris, founded in 1680. The National Theatre of Great Britain, first advocated by Garrick, only became a reality in the 1960s. Its first production, Hamlet, took place on October 22, 1963, at the Old Vic Theatre. Sir Peter Hall succeeded Laurence Olivier as artistic director (1973–88). In October 1976, new buildings designed by Sir Denys Lasdun officially opened and comprise the Lyttleton Theatre, the Olivier Theatre, and the Cottesloe Theatre. Other directors include Sir Richard Eyre (1988–97), Trevor Nunn (1997–2002), and Nicholas Hytner (2002– ).
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National Theatre
