The british theatre

Aldwich farces

the Aldwich theatre

Ashcroft, Peggy

the Barbican (Arts Centre)

Brook, Peter

the Chichester Festival

the Coliseum Theatre

Covent Garden

Coward, Sir Noёl

Drury Lane

the Edinburgh Festival

the English National Opera

the Fringe

Gielgud, John

the Globe Theatre

Glyndebourne

Guinness, Alec

Gwynn, Nell

Hall, Peter

the Haymarket Theatre

Her Majesty's Theatre

Irving, Sir Henry

Kean, Edmund

Leigh, Vivien

the Malvern Festival

the Mermaid Theatre

the National Theatre

the National Youth Theatre

Nunn, Trevor

the Old Vic

Olivier, Laurence

the Palladium

Pygmalion

Redgrave, Vanessa

Richardson, Sir Ralph

the Round House

Royal Academy of Dramatic Art

the Royal Court (Theatre)

the Royal Opera House

the Royal Shakespeare Company

the Royal Variety Show

Sadler's Wells Theatre

the Savoy Theatre

Shakespeare, William

the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre

Shaw, George Bernard (G. B. S.)

Siddons, Sarah

Stoppard, Tom

the Swan Theatre

Terry, Dame Ellen

the Theatre of the Absurd

Ustinov, Peter

Wilde, Oscar

the Young Vic

The British Theater History in brief

One of the main reasons for so many people wanting to visit Britain is its enviable reputation in the performing arts. The country is exactly what Shakespeare described, an "isle full of noises, sounds and sweet airs that give delight and hurt not". In music and drama, opera and ballet, there are endless opportunities for visitors to enjoy themselves to the hilt.

The performing arts in Britain range from the work of the major national theatre, opera and ballet companies to the smaller touring companies, many of which do experimental work.

Ballet and opera have become increasingly popular in Britain, and are performed by a number of companies. Two of the best-known are the Royal Opera and the Royal Ballet, both based at the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden in London. The English National Opera, with its home at the Coliseum Theatre, London, specializes in performances of opera in English. The Welsh National Opera and the Scottish Opera both tour the whole of Britain and have become established as major companies.

British theatre traces its origins back to medieval mystery and morality plays. In its present form, it has evolved mainly from the theatre of the Elizabethan era, when drama reached a high point in the comedies and tragedies of Shakespeare. The theatre flourished again at the time of the Restoration (1660) after a period when it was banned under Cromwell. It was at this time that women first began to act on the stage. The many comedies of the period had their successors in plays by such well-known 18th-century dramatists as Goldsmith and Sheridan. There was then a general decline in British drama until the end of the 19th century, when there was a revival with the plays of Bernard Shaw and Oscar Wilde. The 20th century has seen the comedies of Noel Coward and the distinctive "naturalistic" school of drama of such writers as John Galsworthy, Terrence Rattigan and more recently Alan Ayckbourn. Other developments in modern British drama have included the "absurd" school of Samuel Beckett, the social drama of John Osborne (the original "Angry Young Men"), Arnold Wesker and John Arden, and the unique blend of realism and the absurd in the plays of Harold Pinter.

There are today about 200 professional theatres in Britain. The centre of theatrical activity is of course London, where there are some 40 principal theatres in the West End and several more in the suburbs, and the figure does not include opera, ballet, amateur dramatics, or the semi-private theatre clubs (altogether more than 50).

Shakespeare's Globe Theatre of the 16th century was in London and a modern reconstruction of it was built near the original site. Many of the theatres famous in the past remain in use today, for example the Haymarket, the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane and the Old Vic. In more modern times, the Royal National Theatre has earned a high reputation for the plays staged in its three auditoriums. Almost all London's popular theatres are in the West End, with Shaftesbury Avenue as the focal point. One of Britain's leading theatre companies is the Royal Shakespeare Company, with bases at both the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford, and the Barbican Theatre, London. The English Stage Company, based at the Royal Court Theatre, London, specializes in modern drama.

Outside London, the large cities and many smaller towns have theatres where visiting companies perform and some cities also have their own repertory companies. Among the best-known are the Glasgow Citizens' Theatre, the Nottingham Playhouse, the Manchester Royal Exchange and the Haymarket in Leicester.

There are many annual festivals of theatre, dance and music. One of the most important festivals is the Edinburgh International Festival. The Edinburgh "Fringe" performances are as important a part of the festival as the main productions and offer new and experimental work.

Both performing and visual arts in Britain receive funding from the Arts Council of Great Britain, which in recent years has had a policy of encouraging the arts in the regions. Among the companies receiving government grants are the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre Company, the English Stage Company, the Covent Garden Opera House and the Mermaid.

The two main institutions of the British theatre are firmly based on the foundation of Shakespeare, namely the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre.

Britain's long-awaited National Theatre was officially opened by the Queen on the 25th of October, 1976, at a gala night celebration which included a spectacular firework display and a performance of a Venetian comedy — a suitable choice for a national theatre of international importance. Hundreds of distinguished people from all over the world came to the celebration.

The National, as it is known, is a part of the South Bank Arts Centre, overlooking a beautiful part of the River Thames. The whole complex contains theatres, cinemas, an art gallery, lecture halls, concert halls, restaurants and bars.

And the National contains not one but three theatres in one: the Olivier, the Lyttelton and the Cottesloe Theatres.

The jewel of the National is the 1,160-seat Olivier Theatre, named after Laurence Olivier, the incomparable actor who served as the first artistic director of the National Theatre Company. The Olivier presents a repertoire of established plays by William Shakespeare and other famous playwrights.

There is a room for 890 people in the Lyttelton Theatre, which has an adjustable proscenium stage, i. e. the sides of the stage are closed but the shape and size can be changed. The Lyttelton presents plays from the regions of Britain and plays performed by visiting companies from abroad.

The Cottesloe Theatre, which was the last to open, is a simple rectangular box seating up to 400 people, ideal for a workshop trying out new techniques. The Cottesloe stages plays of a more experimental kind.

In addition there are frequent shows, exhibitions and live musical performances in the foyer of the theatre. Most of these activities are open to members of the public even if they are not attending the performance of a play. The public has the rare opportunity to listen to Gipsy music, Celtic harp duets, modern jazz, Scottish love poetry and other kinds of entertainment. Britain's National Theatre is a major achievement. The fact that nearly every performance is sold out is proof of its success. People queue up outside the theatre every day for cheap tickets for the evening performance.

So there is a heavy concentration of the performing arts in London. And many other British towns (Chichester, Coventry, Guildford, Brighton, Liverpool, etc.) have theatres which are served mostly by local repertory companies.