South Bank

Royal National Theatre
South Bank Arts Complex

The Royal National Theatre is located on the South Bank just to the east of the Royal Festival Hall.  It was designed by Dennys Lasdun in the so-called modern brutalist style and has been likened to a nuclear bunker by some of its detractors. 

The brainchild of Sir Laurence Olivier it is the home of national theatre in Great Britain and is famous for its unusual and challenging productions of new works as well as presentations of old favourites like Shakespeare, Ibsen and the like.  The building actually contains three theatres, The Lyttleton, The Cottesloe and The Olivier. Each of them is different in style and size and each presents new productions on a regular basis.

The location  of the Royal National Theatre on the banks of the river is stunning and it attracts lots of visitors who just come for the view, a drink and perhaps some dancing to an outside band.

Left: The Royal National Theatre on the Sout Bank - evening crowds enjoying the atmosphere.

Inside the building houses restaurants and cafes, bars and an art gallery.

There are some nice walks to be had outside the theatre along the South Bank.

Left: The Walkway outside the Royal National Theatre - photo by J Briggs

Nearest Tube station: Waterloo.

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