The Old Vic
The Old Vic Theatre London
Waterloo Road, London, SE1 8NB
Nearest Underground: Waterloo (Jubilee line, Northern line, Bakerloo line)
Nearest Buses: 1, 68, 168, 171, 172, 176, 188, 501
Theatre Facts & History
Date opened: 11 May 1818
Theatre designed by: Rudolph Cabanel
First production: Midnight Revalry, Alzora and Nerine and Trial by Battle or Heaven Defend the Right
Number of seats: 1067
Other info:Originally opened as the Royal Coburg Theatre; 1 July 1833 renamed the Royal Victoria Theatre; renamed the New Victoria Palace in 1871; on 27 December 1880 renamed as The Royal Victoria Hall And Coffee Tavern; Lilian Baylis officially adopts the name of the theatre’s local nickname, the Old Vic, in 1925/1926; the theatre was bombed in 1941 and closed until 14 November 1950; in 1962 Laurence Olivier appointed first director of the National Theatre and the Old Vic governors agree to offer the theatre as its temporary home.