London Theatres: The National Theatre of Great Britain

Lambeth is one of the largest of the boroughs of London, and in this borough there is one of the largest and most popular London entertainment venues. This venue is the National Theatre of Great Britain. This theatre is one that not only features all sorts of notable plays throughout the year but it is also one of the most affordable theatres to visit in the city of London.

The National Theatre first started up in 1963. The theatre was based out of the Old Vic Theatre in Waterloo. The venue opened with Laurence Olivier's production of Hamlet, which starred Peter O'Toole. Over time plans to built a permanent theatre for the National Theatre were worked upon, and in 1976 the first of the three theatres in the complex was opened. Located at South Bank, this theatre was designed by Sir Denys Lasdun.

There are three theatres in the complex. The first is the 1160-seat Olivier Theatre, named after Laurence Olivier. This theatre features an open stage and features the Drum Revolve. This stage equipment is eight meters under the stage and works to revolve the stage and handle weights, which makes it great for scenery changes and dramatic scenes.

The next theatre is the Lyttelton Theatre, which is named after former National Theatre Board chairman Oliver Lyttelton. 890 seats are in this venue. The third is the Cottesloe Theatre, which fits 400 people and is named after South Bank Theatre Board chairman Lord Cottesloe. There is also a studio research wing at the complex where actors can practice and write material.

Over the years various notable playwrights have had their works at this venue, making it one of the most historic London entertainment venues. In 1983 David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross was performed here, the Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park With George debuted here in 1990. Other notable works from Tom Stoppard, Trevor Nunn, Jean Cocteau and Charlotte Jones have been featured here. Many notable actors have performed here in the past too, including Anthony Hopkins and Dame Judi Dench performing together in a 1987 adaptation of Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra.

The last of the things that may this one of the top London entertainment venues is that tickets are affordable. For a couple of years the Theatre has been sponsored by Travelex. As a result tens of thousands of tickets each year are offered for only £10.

The National Theatre of Great Britain is one of the most notable London entertainment venues. This theatre features all sorts of plays throughout the year and has various venues. It is rich with history and continues to have all sorts of shows. For information on what is going on now at the Theatre visit the venue's website at nationaltheatre.org.uk or telephone +44 (0)20 7 452 3000.