Royal National Theatre | Performances, Productions, Repertoire

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Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). </div> <div class="type-menu"> <label for="feedback-type" class="label mb-10">Feedback Type</label> <select id="feedback-type" class="form-select mb-30" name="feedbackTypeId" required> <option value="" selected="selected">Select a type (Required)</option> <option value="1">Factual Correction</option> <option value="2">Spelling/Grammar Correction</option> <option value="3">Link Correction</option> <option value="4">Additional Information</option> <option value="5">Other</option> </select> </div> <label for="feedback" class="label mb-10">Your Feedback</label> <textarea id="feedback" class="form-control mb-30" name="feedback" maxlength="3000" rows="7" required></textarea> <button class="btn btn-blue" type="submit">Submit Feedback</button> </form> <div class="success-messaging d-none mt-30"> <div class="title">Thank you for your feedback</div> <p>Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="md-websites-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif pb-15 border-bottom font-weight-bold"> External Websites </div> <div class="pb-20"> <ul class="list-unstyled mt-20 lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">The Official Site of the National Theatre</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="toc-header-marker"></div> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 js-header-ai-ask-button d-none btn-sm btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 mr-0 mr-lg-10 ml-5 ml-sm-10 ml-lg-0 p-10"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> <div class="caption alternate-titles">Also known as: National Theatre</div> <div class="md-byline module-spacing "> <div class="font-serif font-12"> <span class="written-by text-gray-700"> Written and fact-checked by </span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2024-09-27T00:00:00CDT" >Sep 27, 2024</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Royal-National-Theatre/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 ai-ask-button btn border-2 module-spacing btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="js-qf-module qf-module px-40 px-sm-20 py-15 mx-auto module-spacing font-14 bg-gray-50 rounded"> <div class="qf-title font-weight-bold font-14 mb-10 text-center"> Quick Facts</div> <div class="facts-list mt-10"> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Formerly (1962–88): </dt> <dd>National Theatre</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Date: </dt> <dd>1962 - present</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Related People: </dt> <dd><a href="/biography/Laurence-Olivier">Laurence Olivier</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/Anthony-Hopkins">Anthony Hopkins</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/Maggie-Smith">Maggie Smith</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/Nicholas-Hytner">Nicholas Hytner</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/Trevor-Nunn">Trevor Nunn</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> <div class="text-center"> <a class="btn btn-sm btn-link p-0" href="/facts/Royal-National-Theatre"> See all related content </a> </div> </div> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref17111"></span>Royal National Theatre</strong>, a partly subsidized complex of British theatre companies that was formed in 1962. It was given a permanent home at the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/South-Bank" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">South Bank</a> arts complex in the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Greater-London" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Greater London</a> borough of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Lambeth" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Lambeth</a> in 1976. In 1988 <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Elizabeth-II" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Queen Elizabeth II</a> gave permission for the company to add “Royal” to its name.</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">In 1848 the idea of a national theatre was proposed by the publisher Effingham Wilson, and the lack of such a theatre had become a concern of many theatrical professionals by the early 20th century. However, successive attempts to raise funds and build a home for such a theatre were stymied for various reasons, including World Wars I and II. After <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/World-War-II" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">World War II</a> the <span id="ref17112"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/South-Bank" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">south bank</a> of the Thames was chosen as the site for the proposed national theatre, and in 1951 the building’s cornerstone was laid. Then in 1962 a National Theatre company was finally established, with <span id="ref17113"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Laurence-Olivier" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Sir Laurence Olivier</a> as director. The <span id="ref17114"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Old-Vic-London-theatrical-company" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Old Vic</a> company provided the nucleus of actors, and the National Theatre took temporary residence at the Old Vic theatre, opening on October 22, 1963, with a production of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hamlet-by-Shakespeare" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true"><em>Hamlet</em></a>. A mixed <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="repertoire" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/repertoire" data-type="MW">repertoire</a> of classic and modern productions directed by such distinguished English and foreign directors as George Devine, Peter Wood, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Peter-Brook" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Peter Brook</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Franco-Zeffirelli" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Franco Zeffirelli</a>, and Jacques Charon rapidly brought the National Theatre to prominence in world drama.</p><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">In February 1976 the National Theatre gave its final performance at the Old Vic theatre and later that year moved to its new home along the Thames. The company was directed by Olivier (1963–73), <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Peter-Hall" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Sir Peter Hall</a> (1973–88), Richard Eyre (1988–97), Sir <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Trevor-Nunn" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Trevor Nunn</a> (1997–2003), <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nicholas-Hytner" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Nicholas Hytner</a> (2003–15), and Rufus Norris (from 2015).</p><div class="module-spacing"> </div><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="md-signature"><a href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</a></span> <span class="md-signature">This article was most recently revised and updated by <a href="/editor/Amy-Tikkanen/6393">Amy Tikkanen</a>.</span><span class="marker end-of-content"></span><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article></div> </div></div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript> <script type="text/javascript" id="_informizely_script_tag"> var IzWidget = IzWidget || {}; (function (d) { var scriptElement = d.createElement('script'); scriptElement.type = 'text/javascript'; scriptElement.async = true; scriptElement.src = "https://insitez.blob.core.windows.net/site/f780f33e-a610-4ac2-af81-3eb184037547.js"; var node = d.getElementById('_informizely_script_tag'); node.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, node); } )(document); </script>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":1,"pagesTotal":1,"pageId":511486,"pageLength":279,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.130.14"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.130.14' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"C","adLeg":"C","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"MEDIUM","gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":false} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

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Royal National Theatre | Performances, Productions, Repertoire | Britannica