THE OLD VIC A CHRONOLOGY 1817 Waterloo Bridge opened. HALL, run on temperance line , Anton Dolin. Sadler's Wells opened new home on South Bank, having 1818 Theatre opens as THE giving lectures and concerts . by The Old Vic under Lilian Baylis' rejected plan for Old Vic to be their ROYAL COBURG. Architect: 1888 Lack of bar profits forces management. permanent, conventional, Rudolf Cabanel. Seating approx. Emma Cons to form a charity and 1931-36 Shakespeare, opera and proscenium arch theatre . 4,000. raise money. Freehold is bought by ballet all alternate between The Old 1976-77 Governors of The Old Vic 1822 Stage curtain made of 66 the charity and vested in The Vic and Salder's Wells. appoint James Verner to manage the pieces of mirror installed - the Charity Commissioners . 1936 Opera and Ballet transferred theatre with visiting companies . "Looking Glass Curtain" quickly 1894 Further financial difficulties - permanently to Sadler's Wells. 1977-78 Guest seasons of Prospect became one of the sights of London . Samuel Morley, a wealthy textile 1937 Lilian Baylis dies: Tyrone Product ions at The Old Vic under 1831 Edmund Keen appears as manufacturer from Leicester, makes Guthrie appointed administrator. direction of Toby Robertson. Othello and Richard III. a substantial donation and founds 1939 Theatre closed at outbreak of 1979-81 Prospect designated "The 1833 Theatre re-decorated and re­ Morley College (for working-class war. Old Vic Company", under the named THE VICTORIA. Soon adult education) at the rear of The 1941 Theatre hit by bombs . direction of first Tobv Robertson, becomes known as The Old Vic, Old Vic. 1947-50 Temporary repairs carried then Timothy West. · noted for extravagant melodrama . 1898 Emma Cons' niece, Lilian out : foundation of The Old Vic 1981 Arts Council withdraws 1834 Theatre re-named THE Baylis, joins and assists with School and The Young Vic. subsidy from Prospect without ROY AL VICTORIA. management : "New, moving 1950 Renovations and re-opening. warn ing, and the company goes into 1834 Paganini's farewell concert . pictures" are introduced. Present chandelier made. New liquidation. 1847 Pickford's bid for the theatre 1900 First opera - The Bohemian proscenium designed and built for 1981-82 Governors take short lets as a parcels' office. Girl (in English). Michel Saint-Denis. of the theatre and seek a permanent 1858 False alarm in the gallery (top 1905 Symphony concerts were 1950-53 Seasons directed by future policy. tier of 3) causes a stampede in started. George Devine, Glen Byam Shaw, 1982 Without subsidy, Governor s gallery - 16 killed and many injured. 1912 Emma Cons dies: Lilian Baylis Michel Saint-Denis and Hugh Hunt. obliged to sell the freehold to 1869 Auditorium completely takes over. 1953-58 First Folio of Shakespeare discharge debts accumulated from re-built, with 2 tiers. Architect: 1914 Rosina Filippi's "People's produced under Michael Benthall's past five years: after 94 years The J.T. Robinson. Seating reduced to Theatre" attempted a season of direction . Old Vic returns to private 2,800 . Shakespeare . 1958 H.M. The Queen opens the ownersh ip when they sell it to the 1870 Theatre sinks to lowest level 1914 The Old Vic Shakespeare Old Vic Annexe, built by the highest bidder, Ed Mirvish of of melodrama, with audiences even Company formed under direction of Governors, financed by overseas Toronto, who announces a plan to rougher than the shows. Frequent Ben Greet. tours, to house workshops, restore its inter ior to the design of accidents, disreputable audience, 1915-25 All Shakespeare's plays of wardrobe and paint frame. Robinson of 1871. danger of footpads to gentry the First Folio performed for the 1958-63 Seasons directed by 1983 After £2m facelift, The Old crossing Waterloo Bridge. first time in any theatre. (Producers : Tyrone Guthrie and Michael Elliott. Vic reopens on 31st October on 1871 Theatre sold again. Re-opens Ben Greet, G.R. Foss, Robert 1963 The Old Vic Company is time and within budget . as THE ROYAL VICTORIA Atkins) disbanded: The National Theatre PALACE THEATRE, and fails 1921 LCC demands alterations to takes a lease. Arts Council promises again. building and removal of Morley to use best endeavours to secure 1874 Sold again. Re-opens as THE College. future of Old Vic when National In the 165 years of its existence, The NEW VICTORIA THEATRE. 1925-26 Re-building and alteration Theatre leave. Laurence Olivier Old Vic has been a producing Everybody continued to call it The (Architect: Frank Matcham). appointed director . Extensive drama theatre for 60 years (one­ Old Vic. Goes into further decline. 1925-36 Drama produced by alteration s, including removal of third of its life so far) and its 1880 Leased to Emma Cons, social Andrew Leigh, Harcourt Williams boxes and building new proscenium occupants have heen subsidised by reformer: re-opens as THE ROYAL and Henry Cass. arches by Sean Kenny. public funds for a total of 35 years VICTORIA COFFEE MUSIC- 1931 First ballet performed with 1976 Nat ional Theatre moves to (one -fifth of its life).

Far Left: TheOld Vic by night showing the externallighting, which throwsa curtain of light upwards to emphasisethe architectural features. Centre: TheaudItonum of the Old Vic showing the proscenium arch and boxes,which have been reinstatedto the style of 1871,and the house curtain,which has 63 pieces of mirror sewnon to it Left: Therefurbished auditortum of TheOld Vic which holds 1077 people. Thefibrous plasterwork around the front of the circles and on the ceiling are based on late 19th centurydraw ings. 5