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).

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

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...

Read More

National Theatre foundation - 1951

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

Read More

National Theatre foundation - 1976

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

Read More

National Theatre foundation - 1988

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

Read More

Other Subjects

Paul Robeson

Paul Robeson

Singer, actor (also athlete and civil rights activist). Born Princeton, New Jersey to a former slave, who educated himself to become a theologian and who had great expectations of his son, expectat...

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

1 memorial
She Stoops to Conquer

She Stoops to Conquer

Comic play. Probably the best known work of Oliver Goldsmith. Originally entitled 'Mistakes of a Night'. The daughter of a wealthy countryman poses as a servant in order to win over her nervous sui...

Fiction, Fictional, Theatre

1 memorial
Bonnie Greer

Bonnie Greer

Playwright and novelist. Born in Chicago. She visited Britain as part of a production at the Edinburgh Festival in 1986 and has remained here ever since. She has written many plays for radio and ha...

Person, Theatre, TV & Radio, USA

1 memorial
Leslie Howard

Leslie Howard

Actor and film director. Born Leslie Howard Steiner at 31 Westbourne Road, Forest Hill. He began his career as a stage actor in Britain and the USA. In films, he appeared in 'Berkeley Square', 'The...

Person, Cinema, Theatre, USA

1 memorial
Maria Theresa Kemble

Maria Theresa Kemble

Actress. Born Vienna. Wife to Charles Kemble, with daughter Fanny. Died near Chertsey.

Person, Theatre, Austria

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