Picture the scene: night is falling over London. You’re just a stone’s throw from the Thames; in the distance you can hear the rumblings of Waterloo Station, while in front of you there stands the elegant Victorian façade of The Old Vic – a historic playhouse that has stood on this site for two centuries, carrying on the name of a great British patriarch.
Are you ready for a tour?
Past lives
f these walls could talk, they might recall their former days as a music hall, as a lair for revellers, a cultural haven and then an opera house, before the building came to be known as a bastion of the dramatic arts. Founded in 1818 in the blue-collar neighbourhood of Lambeth, The Old Vic (formerly the Royal Coburg) offered local folk living on the south bank of the Thames an alternative to the gilded establishments of the West End.
It drew crowds of working people, and the atmosphere was on the boisterous side. Over the course of the 19th century the theatre sought to define its identity amid periods of success and decline. It was not until the dawn of the 20th century that The Old Vic truly evolved, when Lilian Baylis took over as its director in the 1920s. Her flair and unrivalled energy transformed The Old Vic into a temple of Shakespearean theatre.
It is said that Baylis was so devoted to the theatre that when money was tight, she would personally make soup to feed the actors.
A visionary before her time, she made theatre accessible to all, offering reduced-price tickets for working men and students. Under her direction, The Old Vic became a sort of cultural utopia.
A flagship London theatre
Still to this day, The Old Vic remains part of the beating artistic heart of London, putting on revisited classics and contemporary plays.
Both the National Theatre and the English National Ballet were born in the wings of The Old Vic, before taking up residence in their own premises. Now, while it continues to stage the works of stalwart playwrights such as Shakespeare, Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller, it also supports new work and has staged numerous world premieres. The Old Vic continues to open doors for new and existing audiences with varied interests to share in the joy of theatre.
A must-see performance? Dickens, for sure.
One of The Old Vic’s greatest successes in recent times has been A Christmas Carol, Jack Thorne’s adaptation of the classic Dickens novel. Following a record year in 2023 with over sixty-seven thousand spectators, the show is returning to the bill this winter for its eighth consecutive year.
“Going to see A Christmas Carol with family or friends really gets you into the festive spirit,” explains Emma Robson, Head of Events at The Old Vic. “Watching the adventures of Scrooge, a miserly character being shown the path towards redemption, is a wonderful way to start off the festive season.”
It’s a show that has all the Christmas bells and whistles: there’s a childlike ghost, a flying turkey, mulled wine, plenty of snow, parachuting sprouts and a fundraising drive at the end of the performance – which, in just seven years, has already raised over £1.5 million in the UK and overseas in support of charities working to combat food poverty. “The Old Vic does not receive any regular government subsidy. We’re proud and grateful to benefit from Taittinger Champagne’s long-standing support,” Emma continues. “The Old Vic is an iconic institution of the London cultural scene, but it’s also a theatre that’s working to ensure the dramatic arts can continue to prosper, and remain accessible to as many people as possible,” adds Ben Knolly, Managing Director of Hatch Mansfield (Champagne Taittinger’s UK importer), who initiated the partnership between the Old Vic and Taittinger in 2006. “This is something that I know is very close to the Taittinger family’s heart.”
The perfect time to experience A Christmas Carol is in the deep midwinter, when the garlands sparkle onRegent Street, just before a spot of ice skating outside Somerset House or a Mince Pie in Covent Garden. Each visit to The Old Vic is something to look forward to, and you’ll want to make a day of it!
So now you know: the next time you head to London, push open the door of The Old Vic, make your way into the auditorium and take one of its 1,000 velvet seats, and drink in the unique atmosphere of a location that has seen it all…
