The
Old Vic - The
name Old Vic has long been associated with Shakespeare
- it was the first theatre to produce all of the great
bard's plays in the First Folio. Its early
history however, was very different. In 1816
building of the Royal Coburg was started, but after it
finally opened in 1818 it quickly became the realm of lurid
melodramas. Since 1833 the theatre has been known affectionately,
and then officially, as the Old Vic. Redecorated and renamed
the Royal Victoria had no affect on the entertainment offered. Renamed
once again in 1871 as the New Victoria Palace, it closed
in 1880. Less than a year later it reopened
as the Royal Victoria Hall and Coffee Tavern and was used
for concerts, operas and extracts from Shakespeare. In
1912 the theatre was rescued by the unique management style
and personality of Lilian Baylis, described by some as
'The Magnificent Tyrant', who embarked on the history-making
Shakespeare season. The building was closed for the duration
of the war after suffering severe bomb damage in 1941.
Reopening in 1950 it became the home of the Old Vic Company,
the unofficial national theatre company. In 1963
the theatre became the temporary home (for 13 years!) of
the embryonic National Theatre formed under the guidance
of Laurence Olivier. A £2 million face-lift
in 1982 saw the Old Vic take on a new lease of life and
play host to a number of musicals (such as HAIR) interspersed
with the traditional Shakespeare and high quality dramas. |
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