Building    From 1976 

National Theatre

Categories: Theatre

First proposed in 1848, the gestation of the NT is complex (see the NT's own site). The first site for the NT was acquired in 1913, immediately behind the British Museum, at the corner of Gower Street and Keppel Street. Here a “Shakespeare Hut” was used for entertaining the troops in WW1 but the site was sold in 1922 and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine was built there. Various other sites were considered and then in 1938 another site was purchased, Cromwell Gardens, opposite the Victoria and Albert Museum. In 1942 the LCC exchanged this site with one on the South Bank, to the west of Waterloo Bridge, and Sir Edwin Lutyens and Mr Masey designed a building. The 1951 foundation stone was laid at this site but a year later it was agreed with the LCC that the theatre should be further west, next to County Hall.

Denys Lasdun was selected as the architect. Meanwhile theatrical productions were put on at the Old Vic and on 22 October 1963 the newly formed "National Theatre Company" opened its first play, Hamlet. Thus there were celebrations in 2013 for the 50th anniversary of the company, even though the building came much later.

In 1967 the site was moved for the last time to the current site (obviously). Building began but it was much delayed and the 1976 foundation stone was laid when only the Lyttelton and Olivier stages were operating. The Cottesloe opened in March 1977. The 1988 plaque commemorates the renaming to the "Royal" National Theatre marking the 25th anniversary of the company's first performance.

In the 1990s millions were spent renovating the building. At that time Lasdun's style was out of favour and the changes introduced caused Lasdun to demand his name be removed from the 1976 stone (we can see that his wishes were not acted upon).

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
National Theatre

Commemorated ati

Morley mosaics - WBR - Lilian Baylis

Lilian Baylis, born 1874. A niece of Emma Cons, Lilian flourished as a theatr...

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National Theatre foundation - 1951

British Pathe have film of this ceremony: The Queen Mum looks pretty experien...

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National Theatre foundation - 1976

The National Theatre, opened by the Queen on 25 October 1976, designed for th...

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National Theatre foundation - 1988

{Around Her head:} HM Queen Elizabeth Patron Royal National Theatre This pla...

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Other Subjects

Margaret Rutherford

Margaret Rutherford

Stage and film Actor. Born Margaret Taylor Rutherford in Balham. She was well into her thirties before she started acting, but rapidly established herself as a much sought after character actress. ...

Person, Cinema, Theatre

2 memorials
David Bowie

David Bowie

Musician and actor. Born David Robert Jones 40 Stansfield Road, Brixton. The family left here when David was 6 and moved to Plaistow Grove, Bromley. David changed his surname to avoid confusion wi...

Person, Cinema, Music / songs, Seriously Famous, Theatre, USA

7 memorials
Robert Edwin Villiers

Robert Edwin Villiers

Managed the London Pavilion theatre from 1886 to 1890. Robert Edwin Villiers was born on 18 April 1830 in Clerkenwell, Middlesex (now Greater London)) the son of Issac Villiers (c.1789-1863)) and ...

Person, Liveries & Guilds, Theatre

1 memorial
Gaiety Theatre

Gaiety Theatre

 Before the Aldwych development in 1906 the street pattern was very different.  The site between the current Lyceum Theatre and the current corner, Silken Hotel, was occupied by the Lyceum Theatre,...

Place, Theatre

2 memorials
Jenny Agutter

Jenny Agutter

Actor. Born Jennifer Ann Agutter in Taunton, Somerset. Best remembered for playing the role of 'Bobbie' in the 1970 film version of the Railway Children. She had played the same role in a televisio...

Person, Cinema, Theatre, TV & Radio

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Watney Combe Reid

Watney Combe Reid

In 1837 James Watney (1800 - 84) became a partner in the Stag Brewery, Pimlico and the Watney family were the main partners there for much of the 19th century. In 1889 James Watney & Co., acqui...

Group, Commerce, Food & Drink

2 memorials
Anna Brandt

Anna Brandt

Anna Iskryzinski was born on 26 March 1964 in Radomsko, Poland, the eldest of three children. Her sister Ewa Iskryzinski was born in June 1965 and her brother Pawel Iskryzinski was born in February...

Person, Tragedy, Poland

3 memorials
St Anne's Court

St Anne's Court

Haven for political refugees from France and Switzerland and, in modern times, from Eastern Europe.

Place, Social Welfare, France, Switzerland

1 memorial