National Theatre

The Royal National Theatre, home of the National Theatre Company provides both free and paid entertainment every day

Exterior of the National Theatre at Night
Exterior of the National Theatre at Night cc licensed photo by Gary Knight

The Royal National Theatre, commonly referred to as just the National Theatre, was opened in 1976 as the new home of the publicly funded National Theatre Company. They were previously based in the Old Vic Theatre from their beginnings in 1963.

The theatre is of modern concrete architecture and houses 3 separate auditoriums. The main auditorium is the Olivier Theatre which is named after Laurence Olivier, the first artistic director for the theatre. It features an open stage from which seating for 1160 spectators fans out. The Lyttelton Theatre features a proscenium arch design which seats up to 890 guests. And finally the Cottesloe Theatre is a smaller studio space which holds up to 400 depending on the configuration. On the riverside there is a courtyard that is used for outdoor performances during the summer. There is also a free summer festival held there each year.

The theatre's foyers and terraces are open to the public and feature restaurants, bars, exhibition space and a theatrical bookshop. Tours of the backstage are available throughout the day and live music is played in the foyer at 5:45pm and prior to performances. There is no cost for this.

For more information about the Royal National Theatre as well as shows and schedules visit their official website.

Facts For Your Visit

Fee: Yes

National Theatre Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays

  • Monday: 10:00 AM – 11:00 PM
  • Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 11:00 PM
  • Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 11:00 PM
  • Thursday: 10:00 AM – 11:00 PM
  • Friday: 10:00 AM – 11:00 PM
  • Saturday: 10:00 AM – 11:00 PM
  • Sunday: Closed

Address: London SE1 9PX, UK

Phone: 020 3989 5455

Official Website: National Theatre

National Theatre Reviews

Rated 4.7 out of 5 Star Rating

5 Star Rating Superb show of The Witches. Incredible value at £20 a ticket for 4 rows back. Said restricted view/narrow seats but absolutely fine for us & don't think we missed anything, seats c14 & c15. Great view & lucky to have booked to see the very last show of the run. First time in the Olivier Theatre & it's such a lovely venue. We thoroughly enjoyed it & will certainly be back 💜🖤💜🖤💜🧙‍♀️🧙
kitegirluk - a month ago

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5 Star Rating First time seeing a performance here, I've used this space before for meetings but not watched anything. Was great seeing the witches musical in the olivier theatre getting £10 tickets using Friday rush for following week performance. This makes theatre accessible to everyone, including myself. The view from high up in the circle is great, and the revolving stage impresses me along with the actors and production. The bar staff are great, and there was a free water machine to use at the bar. Toilets were really clean too. Also the book shop staff are friendly, there are lots of great gifts and books in the shop I could spend ages in there. Hope to go back and watch more theatre here soon.
Lucy Brook - 3 months ago

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5 Star Rating I went to see The Witches at this theatre! This is the most modern theatre I've been to. The seats are wide and comfy with plenty of space in width and length. The seats of each row go up in height significantly and makes the view from your seat perfect even with someone tall in front! A massive stage with all the latest technologies and special effects. Very disabled friends with nice large lifts.
Lauren Hubbard - a month ago

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5 Star Rating One of the best examples of brutalist architecture housing some of the capital's best plays. Great space to chill out, catch a play and grab some tasty food.
Chris Workman - 2 weeks ago

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5 Star Rating The national theater is in my opinion one of the best theatres. The architecture is amazing. Shows are usually top class. The facilities are ample and clean. The atmosphere is always good and the staff friendly. The seating is upright but comfortable. Location is good being central London on the southbank within 10 mins of a tube or there is parking available if you have limited mobility. Overall If your visiting London even if it's not for a show it's worth visiting. I would highly recommend
Mark Connolly - 3 months ago

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Directions

Tube Line Nearest Station Walking Time
Northern, Bakerloo and Jubilee LinesWaterloo Station5 Minutes
Circle and District LinesEmbankment Station5 Minutes

How to get to National Theatre by Tube

The National Theatre is just a little north of Waterloo Station. Exit onto Waterloo Road and walk to your left (north) along Waterloo Road. Stay to the right of the BFI Imax Theatre and stay to the right of the approach to the Bridge. The theatre is just before the River Thames on your right hand side.

From Embankment Station on the Northbank simply walk across the Hungerford bridge. The National Theatre is on the far side to your left.

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