The Young Vic Theatre is a performing arts venue located on The Cut, near the

South Bank The South Bank is an entertainment and commercial district in central London, next to the River Thames opposite the City of Westminster. It forms a narrow strip of riverside land within the London Borough of Lambeth (where it adjoins Alber ...

, in the

London Borough of Lambeth Lambeth () is a London borough in South London, England, which forms part of Inner London. Its name was recorded in 1062 as ''Lambehitha'' ("landing place for lambs") and in 1255 as ''Lambeth''. The geographical centre of London is at Frazier S ...

. The Young Vic was established by Frank Dunlop in 1970. Kwame Kwei-Armah has been Artistic Director since February 2018, succeeding David Lan.

History

In the period after World War II, a Young Vic Company was formed in 1946 by director

George Devine George Alexander Cassady Devine (20 November 1910 – 20 January 1966) was an English theatrical manager, director, teacher, and actor based in London from the early 1930s until his death. He also worked in TV and film. Early life and education ...

as an offshoot of the Old Vic Theatre School for the purpose of performing classic plays for audiences aged nine to fifteen. This was discontinued in 1948 when Devine and the entire faculty resigned from the Old Vic, but in 1969 Frank Dunlop became founder-director of The Young Vic theatre with ''Scapino'', his free adaptation of

Molière Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (, ; 15 January 1622 (baptised) – 17 February 1673), known by his stage name Molière (, , ), was a French playwright, actor, and poet, widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the French language and world ...

's ''

The Cheats of Scapin ''The Cheats of Scapin'' is a 1676 comedy play by the English writer Thomas Otway. It was an adaptation of the French play ''Scapin the Schemer'' by Molière. It premiered at the Dorset Garden Theatre performed by the Duke's Company as an afterpi ...

'', presented at the new venue as a National Theatre production, opening on 11 September 1970 and starring Jim Dale in the title role with designs by

Carl Toms Carl Toms OBE (29 May 1927 – 4 August 1999) was a British set and costume designer who was known for his work in theatre, opera, ballet, and film. Education Carl Toms was born in 1927 at Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, England. His p ...

(decor) and Maria Björnson (costumes). Initially part of the National Theatre, the Young Vic Theatre became an independent body in 1974. In the words of

Laurence Olivier Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier (; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an English actor and director who, along with his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud, was one of a trio of male actors who dominated the British stage ...

, then director of the National Theatre: "Here we think to develop plays for young audiences, an experimental workshop for authors, actors and producers." The aim was to create an accessible theatre which offered high quality at low cost in an informal environment. The aim was to appeal to young audiences, but this time not specifically to children.

Young Vic Theatre

Frank Dunlop completed creation of the theatre venue in 1970, a breeze-block building on The Cut constructed out of a former butcher's shop and an adjacent bomb-site with bold gloss red wooden slat auditorium bench seating. The structure was intended to last for five years, but has become permanent. The auditorium, with a

thrust stage In theatre, a thrust stage (also known as a platform stage or open stage) is one that extends into the audience on three sides and is connected to the backstage area by its upstage end. A thrust has the benefit of greater intimacy between perform ...

, has an approximate capacity of 420, although the configuration and capacity can vary depending on the design of each production. The Theatre undertook a significant rebuilding and renewal project in the 2000s, designed by architects Haworth Tompkins, boosting its visibility on The Cut. In addition to the Young Vic's main house, there are now two smaller theatre spaces. The Maria, named after theatre designer Maria Björnson, is the larger of the two with a capacity of 150. The Clare, named after a former artistic director of the Young Vic and Sheffield Crucible,

Clare Venables Clare Rosamund Venables (17 March 1943 – 17 October 2003) was an English theatre director. She was artistic director of regional theatres in Lincoln, Stratford East (London), and Sheffield; she became Director of Education at the Royal Shakespea ...

, seats 70. Like the main house, both smaller theatres have flexible seating configurations which can be arranged to suit the production design. In the two smaller auditoria seating is usually unreserved, with the actors performing in close proximity to the audience. The Young Vic performs both new writing and classic plays, the latter often in innovative productions. Despite its small size, like the Almeida Theatre, the Young Vic attracts well-known actors since its creation. These have included Ian Charleson, who made his memorable professional debut with the Young Vic 1972–74, and who played Jimmy Porter in '' Look Back in Anger'' and Hamlet in the first revival of Stoppard's '' Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead'' in 1973,

Vanessa Redgrave Dame Vanessa Redgrave (born 30 January 1937) is an English actress and activist. Throughout her career spanning over seven decades, Redgrave has garnered numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Television Award, tw ...

Helen Mirren Dame Helen Mirren (born Helen Lydia Mironoff; born 26 July 1945) is an English actor. The recipient of numerous accolades, she is the only performer to have achieved the Triple Crown of Acting in both the United States and the United Kingdom ...

Judi Dench Dame Judith Olivia Dench (born 9 December 1934) is an English actress. Regarded as one of Britain's best actresses, she is noted for her versatile work in various films and television programmes encompassing several genres, as well as for her ...

Timothy Dalton Timothy Leonard Dalton Leggett (; born 21 March 1946) is a British actor. Beginning his career on stage, he made his film debut as Philip II of France in the 1968 historical drama '' The Lion in Winter''. He gained international prominence a ...

, Robert Lindsay, Willard White, John Malkovich, Michael Sheen and

Arthur Lowe Arthur Lowe (22 September 1915 – 15 April 1982) was an English actor. His acting career spanned 36 years, including starring roles in numerous theatre and television productions. He played Captain Mainwaring in the British sitcom '' D ...

. Quintessential rock band

The Who The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist and singer John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered ...

held free, weekly concerts at the Young Vic in early 1971 in order to rehearse what would become their masterpiece album, '' Who's Next''. One of these shows was released on the Deluxe edition of this album. A memorial at the theatre's south-east corner commemorates the 54 people killed in 1941 while sheltering in the cellars of the former building on the site, during

the Blitz The Blitz was a German bombing campaign against the United Kingdom in 1940 and 1941, during the Second World War. The term was first used by the British press and originated from the term , the German word meaning 'lightning war'. The Germa ...

. In 1982 the theatre hosted a ''Poetry Olympics'', where comedian Pat Condell took part. Virginia Woolf taught at Morley College from 1905, which represented the natural precursor of the Young Vic's education and community engagement programme. The latter now runs an office which accommodates and paradoxically houses the 'homeless' Belarus Free Theatre, of Nikolai Khalezin, Natalia Koliada, inspiring a new feminist generation and aesthetic, with Sarah Kane's '4.48 Psychosis' performed underground, illegally in Minsk and Farringdon, in the cold cells of Clerkenwell House of Detention, a secret location in London. Echoing the words of Woolf and mirroring her suicide, Kane's play benefitted from another feminist, Sue Emmas, who since the year 1993 has been Associate Director of the social engagement programme, working closely with Kwame Kwei-Armah and leads the Directors Program which provides initiatives for emerging directors, with emphasis on seeking out and nurturing artists from under-represented backgrounds.

Artistic Directors

* Frank Dunlop (1968–1971, also Administrative Director) * Michael Bogdanov (1971–1973) * David Thacker * Julia Bardsley and

Tim Supple Timothy Supple (born 24 September 1962) is a British born, award-winning international theatre director. He is the son of the academic Barry Supple. Career Supple has directed and adapted theatre in London and the UK as well as across the world ...

(jointly) (1991–1994) * Tim Supple (1994–2000) * David Lan (2000–2018) * Kwame Kwei-Armah (2018–present)

Awards

* 2004 –

Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre The Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre is an annual award presented by the Society of London Theatre in recognition of achievements in commercial London theatre. The awards were established as the Society o ...

* 2008 –

Laurence Olivier Award The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply the Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognise excellence in professional theatre in London at an annual ceremony in the capital. The awards were originally known a ...

for Best Musical Revival

* 2013 – The Critics' Circle Peter Hepple Award for Best Musical: The Scottsboro Boys * 2016 –

for Best Revival:

Yerma ''Yerma'' is a play by the Spanish dramatist Federico García Lorca. It was written in 1934 and first performed that same year. García Lorca describes the play as "a tragic poem." The play tells the story of a childless woman living in rura ...

* 2018 – The Critics' Circle Award for Best New Play: The Inheritance * 2018 – Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best New Play: The Inheritance * 2019 – Screen Nation Film and TV Awards Diversity in Drama Award: Soon Gone: A Windrush Chronicle * 2019 – Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play: The Inheritance

Refurbishment 2004–2006

In 2003, the Young Vic launched a campaign to raise £12.5 million for a major reconstruction of its building and closed in 2004 for work to start. Designed by architects

Haworth Tompkins Haworth Tompkins is a British architecture studio, formed in 1991 by architects Graham Haworth (b. 1960) and Steve Tompkins (b. 1959). Based in London, the studio works throughout the public, private and subsidised sectors at a wide spectrum, ...

– also known for their refurbishment of the Royal Court Theatre, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, and two temporary venues for the Almeida – and with Jane Wernick Associates as the structural engineers, and consulting engineers Max Fordham LLP designing the building services, the refurbishment was completed in October 2006. The main auditorium has been left intact, but refurbished and technically enhanced. The butcher's shop has also been retained as the main entrance to the building and also the box office. The remainder of the 1970s structure has been rebuilt to provide new foyers, dressing rooms, two studio theatres, and workshop spaces. An award of £5 million was received from the Arts Council of England. The Young Vic re-opened on 11 October 2006, with a production of the community opera '' Tobias and the Angel''; with music by

Jonathan Dove Jonathan Dove (born 18 July 1959) is an English composer of opera, choral works, plays, films, and orchestral and chamber music. He has arranged a number of operas for English Touring Opera and the City of Birmingham Touring Opera (now Birmi ...

and a libretto by David Lan. On 16 May 2007, the refurbished Young Vic won the '' RIBA London Building of the Year Award''. Following this award, the Young Vic was also shortlisted for the ''RIBA Stirling Prize'' on 27 July 2007. A rebranding exercise by Sense Worldwide in 2010 resulted in the abandonment of its 30-year-old "sit anywhere" policy and a new strapline, "It's a big world in here".

Notable productions

March 2023 - March 2024

* ''

Further than the Furthest Thing ''Further than the Furthest Thing'' is a play in two acts by the Scottish playwright Zinnie Harris, set in 1961 on a remote island based loosely on Tristan da Cunha, and in the English city of Southampton. It was inspired by Harris' mother's mem ...

'' by

Zinnie Harris Zinnie Harris FRSE is a British playwright, screenwriter and director currently living in Edinburgh. She has been commissioned and produced by the Royal Court Theatre, Royal National Theatre, the National Theatre of Scotland and the Royal Shake ...

, directed by Jennifer Tang * ''untitled f*ck m*ss s**gon play'' by Kimber Lee, directed by Roy Alexander Weise

February 2022 - February 2023

* '' The Collaboration'' by Anthony McCarten, directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah, starring Jeremy Pope and Paul Bettany * '' Oklahoma!'' by Rodgers and Hammerstein, directed by

Daniel Fish Daniel Fish is an American theater director based in New York City. Early career Daniel Fish graduated from Northwestern University with a BS in performance studies. From 1989 to 1993 he worked as the assistant director to Michael Kahn at the Sha ...

, starring Arthur Darvill, Anoushka Lucas and Marisha Wallace * ''Chasing Hares'' by Sonali Bhattacharyya, directed by Milli Bhatia * ''

Who Killed My Father ''Who Killed My Father'' ( French: ''Qui a tué mon père'') is a 2018 book by French writer Édouard Louis. It was first released in French in May 2018. __NOTOC__ Structure and story The book is a non-chronological account of several anecdotes ...

'' by

Ivo Van Hove Ivo van Hove (born 28 October 1958) is a Belgian theatre director known as the artistic director of Toneelgroep Amsterdam in the Netherlands and for his Off-Broadway avant-garde experimental theatre productions. On Broadway, he has directed revi ...

from the book by

Édouard Louis Édouard Louis (born Eddy Bellegueule; 30 October 1992) is a French writer. Biography Édouard Louis, born Eddy Bellegueule was born and raised in the town of Hallencourt in northern France, which is the setting of his first novel, the autob ...

, directed by Ivo Van Hove, starring

Hans Kesting Hans Kesting (born 6 October 1960) is a Dutch actor. He appeared in more than fifty films since 1987. He was diagnosed with HIV in 1996. In 2016 he was awarded the Louis d'Or.https://tga.nl/media/acteurs/persknipsels_acteurs_ivo/050625_volkskrant_ ...

* ''Mandela'' by Greg Dean Borowsky, Shaun Borowsky and Laiona Michelle, directed by Schele Williams

July 2021 - February 2022

* ''Chasing Destiny'' by Ben Okri, directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah * ''Klippies'' by Jessica Siân, directed by Diyan Zora * ''AI'', created and directed by Jennifer Tang and Company * ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

'' by

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

, directed by

Greg Hersov Gregory A. "Greg" Hersov (born 1956) is a British theatre director. Hersov was educated at Bryanston School and Mansfield College, Oxford. Overview Hersov has been associated with the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester since 1979. He became ...

, starring

Cush Jumbo Cush Jumbo (born 23 September 1985) is a British actress and writer. She is best known for her leading role as attorney Lucca Quinn in the CBS drama series ''The Good Wife'' (2015–16) and the CBS All Access spin-off series ''The Good Fight'' ...

* '' Best of Enemies'' by James Graham, directed by

Jeremy Herrin Jeremy Herrin is an English theatre director. He is the artistic director of Headlong Theatre. Career Having trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow, Herrin was an assistant director under Stephen Daldry at the Ro ...

, starring David Harewood and Charles Edwards * ''Conundrum'' by Paul Anthony Morris, starring Anthony Ofoegbu

February 2019 – March 2020

* '' Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train'' by Stephen Adly Guirgis. Directed by Kate Hewitt * '' Death of a Salesman'' by Arthur Miller. Directed by Marianne Elliott and Miranda Cromwell *
American Dream 2.0
' *
Ivan and the Dogs
' by

Hattie Naylor Hattie Naylor is an English playwright. Her 2009 ''Ivan and the Dogs'' won the Tinniswood Award for original radio drama and was nominated in the 2010 Olivier Awards for Outstanding Contribution to Theatre. It has since been developed into a film ...

. Directed by Caitriona Shoobridge. *
Bronx Gothic
' by

Okwui Okpokwasili Okwui Okpokwasili (; born August 6, 1972) is an American artist, performer, choreographer, and writer. Her multidisciplinary performances draw upon her training in theatre, and she describes her work as at "the intersection of theatre, dance, and ...

and Peter Born *
Tree
' Created by Idris Elba and Kwame Kwei-Armah * '' Blood Wedding'' by Federico García Lorca in a new version by

Marina Carr Marina Carr is an Irish playwright who has written almost thirty plays, including '' By the Bog of Cats'' (1998). Early life and education Carr was born in Dublin, Ireland, but spent the majority of her childhood in Pallas Lake, County Of ...

. Directed by Yael Farber. * ''Fairview'' by

Jackie Sibblies Drury Jackie Sibblies Drury is an American playwright. ''The New York Times'' called Drury's 2012 play ''We Are Proud to Present a Presentation About the Herero of Namibia, Formerly Known as Southwest Africa, From the German Sudwestafrika, Between the ...

. Direction by Nadia Latif,

March 2018 – February 2019

The Convert
by Danai Gurira. Directed by Ola Ince. * ''

Twelfth Night ''Twelfth Night'', or ''What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Vi ...

'' by

. Conceived by Kwame Kwei-Armah and

Shaina Taub Shaina Taub is an American singer, composer and musician. Biography Taub graduated from New York University Tisch School of the Arts. Taub composed and starred in three adaptations of Shakespeare plays for The Public Theater's Public Works pro ...

. Music and Lyrics by

. Directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah and Oskar Eustis

March 2014 – February 2015

* '' Oh My Sweet Land'' A Young Vic / Théâtre de Vidy-Lausanne co-production. Direction Amir Nizar Zuabi. * ''

A View from the Bridge ''A View from the Bridge'' is a play by American playwright Arthur Miller. It was first staged on September 29, 1955, as a one-act verse drama with ''A Memory of Two Mondays'' at the Coronet Theatre on Broadway. The run was unsuccessful, and M ...

'' by Arthur Miller. Direction

. * '' Safe House'' An installation by Jeremy Herbert and Gabriella Sonabend. * '' Red Forest'' Devised and performed by

Belarus Free Theatre Belarus Free Theatre is a Belarusian underground theatre group. Under the current political system the Belarus Free Theatre has no official registration, no premises, nor any other facilities. Rehearsals and performances (always free of charge ...

. * '' The Valley of Astonishment'' Direction Peter Brook and Marie-Hélène Estienne. * '' The Events'' An Actors Touring Company, Young Vic, Brageteatret & Schauspielhaus Wien Co-Production. Direction Ramin Gray. * ''

A Streetcar Named Desire ''A Streetcar Named Desire'' is a play written by Tennessee Williams and first performed on Broadway on December 3, 1947. The play dramatizes the experiences of Blanche DuBois, a former Southern belle who, after encountering a series of per ...

'' by

Tennessee Williams Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the thr ...

. Direction

Benedict Andrews Benedict Andrews is an Australian theatre and film director, based in Reykjavík. Born in Adelaide in 1972, he was educated at Flinders University Drama Centre. His first feature film '' Una'' (an adaption of '' Blackbird'' by David Harrower) ...

. * '' My Perfect Mind'' created by Told by an Idiot written by Kathryn Hunter, Paul Hunter and Edward Petherbridge. Direction Kathryn Hunter. * ''

The Cherry Orchard ''The Cherry Orchard'' (russian: Вишнёвый сад, translit=Vishnyovyi sad) is the last play by Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. Written in 1903, it was first published by '' Znaniye'' (Book Two, 1904), and came out as a separate editio ...

'' by

Anton Chekhov Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (; 29 January 1860 Old Style date 17 January. – 15 July 1904 Old Style date 2 July.) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer who is considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. His career ...

. Direction

Katie Mitchell Katrina Jane Mitchell (born 23 September 1964) is an English theatre director. Life and career Mitchell was born in Reading, Berkshire, raised in Hermitage, Berkshire, and educated at Oakham School. Upon leaving Oakham, she went up to Ma ...

. * '' A Harlem Dream'' by Ivan Blackstock. * '' Dusk'' A Fevered Sleep / Young Vic co-production. Directed and devised by David Harradine & Samantha Butler. * ''

Golem A golem ( ; he, , gōlem) is an animated, anthropomorphic being in Jewish folklore, which is entirely created from inanimate matter (usually clay or mud). The most famous golem narrative involves Judah Loew ben Bezalel, the late 16th-century ...

'' created by 1927. Directed and written by

Suzanne Andrade Suzanne may refer to: People * Suzanne (given name), a feminine given name (including a list of people with the name) * S. U. Zanne, pen name of August Vandekerkhove (1838–1923), Belgian writer and inventor * Suzanne, pen name of Renée Ménde ...

. * ''The Way Back Home'' An

ENO Eno may refer to: Music * English National Opera, London * ''Eno'', an album by Japanese band Polysics * "Eno", a song by X-Wife from '' Rockin' Rio EP'' Organisations and businesses * Eno (company), a Chinese clothing and accessories busine ...

and Young Vic co-production, based on the book by

Oliver Jeffers Oliver Brendan Jeffers (born 1977) is a Northern Irish artist, illustrator and writer who now lives and works in Brooklyn. He went to the integrated secondary school Hazelwood College, then graduated from the University of Ulster in 2001. ...

. Directed by

. * '' Happy Days'' by

Samuel Beckett Samuel Barclay Beckett (; 13 April 1906 – 22 December 1989) was an Irish novelist, dramatist, short story writer, theatre director, poet, and literary translator. His literary and theatrical work features bleak, impersonal and Tragicomedy, tr ...

. Directed by

Natalie Abrahami Natalie Abrahami is a British theatre, film and opera director. She was Associate Director and Genesis Fellow at the Young Vic in London 2013-16 and Associate Artist at Hull Truck Theatre. From 2007–12 she was joint Artistic Director of the Ga ...

March 2012 – February 2014

* '' After Miss Julie'' A version of Strindberg's 'Miss Julie' by

Patrick Marber Patrick Albert Crispin Marber (born 19 September 1964) is an English comedian, playwright, director, actor, and screenwriter. Early life Marber was born and raised in a middle-class Jewish family in Wimbledon, London, the son of Angela (Benj ...

. Direction

. * ''Minsk'' A Reply to Kathy Acker. Presented by Fuel, Belarus Free Theatre and LIFT 2012. Directed and adapted by Vladimir Shcherban. * ''Mad About the Boy'' A new play by Gbolahan Obisesan. An Iron Shoes production in association with the Unicorn. Direction Ria Parry. * '' The Suit'' After Can Themba, Mothobi Mutloatse & Barney Simon. Adaptation, direction & music by Peter Brook, Marie-Hélène Estienne & Franck Krawczyk. * '' Three Sisters'' by Anton Chekhov. A new version by Benedict Andrews. Direction

. * '' Theatre Uncut 2012'' Top international playwrights respond to world events. * '' The Changeling'' by Thomas Middleton & William Rowley. Direction

Joe Hill-Gibbins Joe Hill-Gibbins (born as Joseph Hill-Gibbins) is a British theatre and opera director. Background Hill-Gibbins was born and raised in Surrey. He attended a local comprehensive, George Abbot School, and later read Drama at Manchester Universit ...

. * '' The Shawl'' by David Mamet. Direction Ben Kidd. * '' Going Dark'' Written by Hattie Naylor in collaboration with Sound&Fury. Direction Mark Espiner & Dan Jones. * '' Feast'' Direction Rufus Norris. * '' Above Me the Wide Blue Sky'' Created by Fevered Sleep. Direction and Design David Harradine & Sam Butler. * '' Public Enemy'' By

Henrik Ibsen Henrik Johan Ibsen (; ; 20 March 1828 – 23 May 1906) was a Norwegian playwright and theatre director. As one of the founders of modernism in theatre, Ibsen is often referred to as "the father of realism" and one of the most influential pla ...

. Direction Richard Jones. * '' Trash Cuisine'' Devised and performed by Belarus Free Theatre. * ''

Brilliant Brilliant may refer to: Music * ''Brilliant'' (album), a 2012 album by Ultravox *Brilliant (band), a British pop/rock group active in the 1980s * "Brilliant" (song), a song by D'espairsRay *Brilliant Classics, Dutch classical music record label * ...

'' Created by Fevered Sleep. Direction and Design David Harradine & Sam Butler. * '' A Season in the Congo'' by Aime Cesaire. Direction Joe Wright. * '' A Doll's House'' by Henrik Ibsen. English-language version by Simon Stephens. Direction

Carrie Cracknell Carrie Cracknell (born 1980) is a British theatre director. She was Artistic Director of the Gate Theatre, London from 2007–2012. She was Associate Director at both the Young Vic (2012–2013) and the Royal Court (2013–2014). Background ...

. * '' Sizwe Banzi is Dead'' Devised by Athol Fugard, John Kani & Winston Ntshona. Direction Matthew Xia. * '' Theatre Uncut 2013'' Top international playwrights respond to world events. * '' The Island'' Devised by Athol Fugard, John Kani & Winston Ntshona. Direction Alex Brown. * '' The Events'' An Actors Touring Company, Young Vic, Brageteatret & Schauspielhaus Wien Co-Production. Direction Ramin Gray. * '' Beauty and the Beast'' ONEOFUS present Beauty and the Beast in co-production with Improbable. Direction

Phelim McDermott Phelim McDermott (born 21 August 1963) is an English actor and stage director. He has directed plays and operas in Britain, Germany, Spain, the United States, and Australia. McDermott was a co-founder of the Improbable theatre in 1996. Career McDe ...

. * '' The Scottsboro Boys'' Music & Lyrics by John Kander and Fred Ebb. Book by David Thompson. Direction & Choreography by Susan Stroman. A Catherine Schreiber & Young Vic Production. * '' Brand New Ancients'' Kae Tempest and

Battersea Arts Centre The Battersea Arts Centre ("BAC") is a performance space specialising in theatre productions. Located near Clapham Junction railway station in Battersea, in the London Borough of Wandsworth, it was formerly Battersea Town Hall. It is a Grade I ...

on Tour. * '' Happy Days'' by Samuel Beckett. Direction

. * '' Sizwe Banzi is Dead'' Devised by Athol Fugard, John Kani & Winston Ntshona. Direction Matthew Xia.

January 2011 – February 2012

* '' Vernon God Little'' Book by DBC Pierre. Adaptation Tanya Ronder. Direction Rufus Norris. With Luke Brady, Clare Burt, Daniel Cerqueira, Peter De Jersey, Joseph Drake, Johnnie Fiori, Lily James,

Penny Layden Penny Layden (born 1969) is a British actress and narrator. She has performed at the National Theatre, with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Old Vic Theatre, with Shared Experience and the Royal Exchange Theatre. Her television credits includ ...

, Nathan Osgood and

Duncan Wisbey Duncan James Wisbey (born 16 December 1971) is an English actor, musician, writer and impressionist. He is often credited as simply Wisbey. Recordings and appearances From 2001, Wisbey collaborated with Jonny Trunk, founder of Trunk Records, to ...

. * ''And the Rain Falls Down'' by Fevered Sleep. Direction Sam Butler. Direction & Design David Harradine. * ''Terminus'' by Mark O'Rowe. Direction Mark O'Rowe. With Declan Conlon, Olwen Fouere and Catherine Walker. * '' The Return of Ulysses'' by Monteverdi. An

/Young Vic Theatre co-production. Direction

. * ''

I Am the Wind ''I Am the Wind'' () is a 2007 play by the Norwegian writer Jon Fosse. It is about two men, The One and The Other, who travel by boat until The One commits suicide by drowning himself. Production history The play was written for the Bergen Internat ...

'' by Jon Fosse. English-language version by Simon Stephens. Direction Patrice Chéreau and Thierry Theiu Niang. With Tom Brooke and Jack Laskey. * ''Government Inspector'' by

Nikolai Gogol Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol; uk, link=no, Мико́ла Васи́льович Го́голь, translit=Mykola Vasyliovych Hohol; (russian: Яновский; uk, Яновський, translit=Yanovskyi) ( – ) was a Russian novelist, ...

in a new version by David Harrower. Direction Richard Jones. With Julian Barratt,

Doon Mackichan Sarah Doon Mackichan (; born August 1962) is a British actress, comedian and writer. She co-created, wrote and performed in the double Emmy award winning '' Smack the Pony''. She frequently collaborates with Armando Iannucci and Steve Coogan, h ...

and Kyle Soller. * '' In the Penal Colony'' by

Franz Kafka Franz Kafka (3 July 1883 – 3 June 1924) was a German-speaking Bohemian novelist and short-story writer, widely regarded as one of the major figures of 20th-century literature. His work fuses elements of realism and the fantastic. It typ ...

. Adapted by Amir Nizar Zuabi. Presented by ShiberHur Theatre Company of Palestine. * '' The Beauty Queen of Leenane'' by

Martin McDonagh Martin Faranan McDonagh (; born 26 March 1970) is a British-Irish playwright, screenwriter, producer, and director. Born and brought up in London, he is the son of Irish parents. He is known as one of the most acclaimed modern playwrights whose ...

. Direction

. With

Rosaleen Linehan Rosaleen Philomena Linehan (; born 1 June 1937) is an Irish stage, screen and television actress. Career Linehan was born in Dublin. She attended University College Dublin and graduated in 1957 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and P ...

and Derbhle Crotty. * ''

Disco Pigs ''Disco Pigs'' is a 2001 Irish film directed by Kirsten Sheridan and written by Enda Walsh, who adapted it from his 1996 play of the same name. Cillian Murphy and Elaine Cassidy star as two young people from Cork who have a lifelong, but unhealt ...

'' by Enda Walsh. Direction Cathal Cleary. * '' Street Scene'' with The Opera Group. Music by

Kurt Weill Kurt Julian Weill (March 2, 1900April 3, 1950) was a German-born American composer active from the 1920s in his native country, and in his later years in the United States. He was a leading composer for the stage who was best known for his fru ...

. Book by Elmer Rice. Lyrics by

Langston Hughes James Mercer Langston Hughes (February 1, 1901 – May 22, 1967) was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist from Joplin, Missouri. One of the earliest innovators of the literary art form called jazz poetry, H ...

. Music performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra and

Southbank Sinfonia Southbank Sinfonia is a British chamber orchestra founded in 2002. Composed of young professionals from around the world, each year it brings together 33 graduate musicians for a programme of performance and professional development. The annual f ...

. * '' One for the Road''/'' Victoria Station'' by

Harold Pinter Harold Pinter (; 10 October 1930 – 24 December 2008) was a British playwright, screenwriter, director and actor. A Nobel Prize winner, Pinter was one of the most influential modern British dramatists with a writing career that span ...

. Direction Jeff James. * ''

'' by

. Direction

Ian Rickson Ian David Rickson (born 1963) is a British theatre director. He was the artistic director at the Royal Court Theatre in London from 1998 to 2006.

. The role of Hamlet performed by Michael Sheen. *'' Orpheus in the Underworld'' in a new translation by Rory Bremner. A Scottish Opera and Northern Ireland Opera co-production * '' Bingo'' by

Edward Bond Edward Bond (born 18 July 1934) is an English playwright, theatre director, poet, theorist and screenwriter. He is the author of some fifty plays, among them ''Saved (play), Saved'' (1965), the production of which was instrumental in the abol ...

. Direction Angus Jackson. The role of Shakespeare performed by Patrick Stewart. * ''

Wild Swans ''Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China'' is a family history that spans a century, recounting the lives of three female generations in China, by Chinese writer Jung Chang. First published in 1991, ''Wild Swans'' contains the biographies of her g ...

by Jung Chang and adapted by Alexandra Wood. Directed by Sacha Wares.

September 2010 – January 2011

* '' The Human Comedy'' with The Opera Group. Music by

Galt MacDermot Arthur Terence Galt MacDermot (December 18, 1928 – December 17, 2018) was a Canadian-American composer, pianist and writer of musical theater. He won a Grammy Award for the song "African Waltz" in 1960. His most-successful musicals were '' Ha ...

. Book by William Dumaresq. From an original story by

William Saroyan William Saroyan (; August 31, 1908 – May 18, 1981) was an Armenian-American novelist, playwright, and short story writer. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1940, and in 1943 won the Academy Award for Best Story for the film ''T ...

. Direction by

John Fulljames John Fulljames (born 1976) is an English opera director who was the director of the Royal Danish Opera from 2017 to 2022. He was Associate Director of Opera at the British Royal Opera from 2011 to 2017. A Cambridge University graduate in Physics, ...

. With

Brenda Edwards Brenda Claudina Susan Edwards (' Artman; born 2 March 1969) is an English singer, actress, television personality and presenter. In 2005, she finished in fourth place in the second series of ''The X Factor''. As of 2019, she is a weekly paneli ...

. * ''On Ageing'' by Fevered Sleep. Direction and Design David Harradine and Sam Butler. * '' Faust'' adapted from

Goethe Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, statesman, theatre director, and critic. His works include plays, poetry, literature, and aesthetic criticism, as well as tr ...

Vesturport Vesturport is an Icelandic theatre group, founded on 18 August 2001. The group has performed plays in the United States, Europe and Australia. In 2011, it received the Europe Prize Theatrical Realities for its complete work, innovative chara ...

. Direction Gisli Orn Gardarsson. Music by

Nick Cave Nicholas Edward Cave (born 22 September 1957) is an Australian singer, songwriter, poet, lyricist, author, screenwriter, composer and occasional actor. Known for his baritone voice and for fronting the rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, ...

Warren Ellis Warren Girard Ellis (born 16 February 1968) is a British comic book writer, novelist, and screenwriter. He is best known as the co-creator of several original comics series, including ''Transmetropolitan'' (1997–2002), ''Global Frequency'' ( ...

. * '' The Glass Menagerie'' by

. Direction

. Music by Dario Marianelli. With Leo Bill,

Deborah Findlay Deborah Findlay (born 23 December 1947) is an English actress. She joined a theatre company while studying English at the University of Leeds. Career Findlay has worked primarily on stage and appeared in numerous productions, including the origi ...

, Sinéad Matthews and Kyle Soller. * ''

: Numbers / Discover Love''. Guest appearances from

Adjoa Andoh Adjoa Andoh Hon. FRSL (born 14 January 1963) is a British actress. On stage, she has played lead roles with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre, the Royal Court Theatre and the Almeida Theatre. On television, she appeared in ...

Jude Law David Jude Heyworth Law (born 29 December 1972) is an English actor. He received a British Academy Film Award, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards, two Tony Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards. In 2007, he received an Honorary Cés ...

Ian McKellen Sir Ian Murray McKellen (born 25 May 1939) is an English actor. His career spans seven decades, having performed in genres ranging from Shakespearean and modern theatre to popular fantasy and science fiction. Regarded as a British cultural i ...

Sienna Miller Sienna Rosie Diana Miller (born December 28, 1981) is an American-British actress. Born in New York City and raised in London, she began her career as a photography model, appearing in the pages of Italian ''Vogue'' and for the 2003 Pirelli ca ...

and Samuel West. * ''

My Dad's a Birdman ''My Dad's a Birdman'' is a 2007 children's illustrated novel by David Almond. It is about a girl, Lizzie, who finds herself looking after her dad, Jackie, after the death of her mother, and his dreams of competing in "The Great Human Bird Compe ...

''. By

David Almond David Almond (born 15 May 1951) is a British author who has written many novels for children and young adults from 1998, each one receiving critical acclaim. He is one of thirty children's writers, and one of three from the UK, to win the bie ...

. Music by

Pet Shop Boys The Pet Shop Boys are an English synth-pop duo formed in London in 1981. Consisting of primary vocalist Neil Tennant and keyboardist Chris Lowe, they have sold more than 50 million records worldwide, and were listed as the most successful duo ...

. Direction Oliver Mears.

October 2009 – January 2010

* '' Annie Get Your Gun''. Music & lyrics by Irving Berlin. Book by Herbert & Dorothy Fields. Direction Richard Jones. With

Jane Horrocks Barbara Jane Horrocks (born 18 January 1964) is a British actress. She portrayed the roles of Bubble and Katy Grin in the BBC sitcom ''Absolutely Fabulous''. She was nominated for the 1993 Olivier Award for Best Actress for the title role in th ...

and Julian Ovenden.

May 2009 – August 2010

* ''Sweet Nothings'' based on Arthur Schnitzler's '' Liebelei'' from 1895, arranged by David Harrower, directed by Luc Bondy * ''Where's Ali'' devised by Ned Glasier. * ''

Pictures from an Exhibition ''Pictures at an Exhibition'', french: Tableaux d'une exposition, link=no is a suite of ten piano pieces, plus a recurring, varied Promenade theme, composed by Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky in 1874. The piece is Mussorgsky's most famous pi ...

'' based on the suite by Modest Mussorgsky. Direction

Daniel Kramer Daniel Kramer (born January 15, 1977) is an American-born theatre, opera and dance director. He was appointed Artistic Director of the English National Opera in April 2016. Early life and education Kramer was born on a sheep farm in Wadsworth, Ohi ...

. Choreography Frauke Requardt. * ''Kursk'' by Sound&Fury, in collaboration with Bryony Lavery. * ''

Been So Long ''Been So Long'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Arthur Darvill and book by Ché Walker. The musical is based on Walker's 1998 play of the same name. ''Been So Long'' premiered at the Young Vic on July 11, 2009 and then transferred to Trav ...

'' Book, lyrics and direction

Ché Walker Ché Walker is an English actor, playwright, theatre director, and teacher. His musical '' Been So Long'' played at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the Young Vic theatre. It was later developed into a feature film of the same name starring Mi ...

. Music and lyrics Arthur Darvill. * ''Sus'' by Barrie Keefe. Direction Gbolahan Obisesan. * ''Brilliant'' by Fevered Sleep. Direction David Harradine. * ''The Container'' by Clare Bayley. Direction Tom Wright. Design Naomi Dawson. * ''

4.48 Psychosis ''4.48 Psychosis'' is the final play by British playwright Sarah Kane. It was her last work, first staged at the Royal Court's Jerwood Theatre Upstairs on 23 June 2000, directed by James Macdonald, nearly one and a half years after Kane's deat ...

'' by

Sarah Kane Sarah Kane (3 February 1971 – 20 February 1999) was an English playwright, screenwriter and theatre director. She is known for her plays that deal with themes of redemptive love, sexual desire, pain, torture—both physical and psychological ...

. Direction Christian Benedetti. With Anamaria Marinca. * ''The Girlfriend Experience'' by

Alecky Blythe Alecky Blythe is a British playwright and screenwriter. She has written several plays, including the acclaimed 2011 musical '' London Road''. Her first play ''Come Out Eli'' won a Time Out Award. ''The Girlfriend Experience'' premiered at the Roy ...

. Direction

January 2009 – April 2009

* ''

King Lear ''King Lear'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his power and land between two of his daughters. He becomes destitute and insane a ...

'' by

. Direction Rupert Goold. With Pete Postlethwaite as King Lear. * ''

The Indian Wants the Bronx ''The Indian Wants the Bronx'' is a one-act play by Israel Horovitz. Gupta, the Indian of the title, has just arrived in New York City from his native country to visit his son and speaks only a few words of English. While waiting for a bus to Th ...

'' by Israel Horovitz. Direction Daljinder Singh. Design Paul Wills. * ''Kafka's Monkey'' Based on '' A Report to an Academy'' by

. Adaptation Colin Teevan. Direction Walter Meierjohann. With Kathryn Hunter. * ''Bay'' devised by the company with writer Joel Horwood. Direction Sarah Tipple. * ''After Dido'' Purcell's Dido and Aeneas in a new film and theatre piece. Direction Katie Mitchell. * ''You Can See the Hills'' written and directed by Matthew Dunster. With William Ash.

July 2008 – January 2009

* ''Street Scene''. Music by

. Book by Edgar Rice. Lyrics by

. * ''Fragments'' by

. Direction Peter Brook. * ''In the Red and Brown Water'' by

Tarell Alvin McCraney Tarell Alvin McCraney (born October 17, 1980) is an American playwright, screenwriter, and actor. He is the chair of playwriting at the Yale School of Drama and a member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Ensemble. He co-wrote the 2016 film ''Moonlight'' ...

(part of the Brother/Sister plays). Direction Walter Meierjohann. Design

Miriam Buether Miriam Buether is a German stage designer who primarily works in London theatre. She was born in Germany and studied stage design at Central Saint Martin’s College of Art and Design in London and costume design at the Akademie für Kostüm Des ...

. * ''The Brothers Size'' by

(part of the Brother/Sister plays). Direction

Bijan Sheibani Bijan Sheibani ( fa, بیژن شیبانی) is a British theatre director. Early life and education Sheibani was born in Liverpool, and moved with his family to Hove when he was 7. He was schooled at St Andrew's C of E School in Hove and at Brigh ...

. Design Patrick Burnier. * ''You Can See the Hills'' by Matthew Dunster. Direction Matthew Dunster. Designer Anna Fleischle. * ''Amazônia'' by

Colin Teevan Colin Teevan (born 1961 in Dublin) is an Irish playwright, radio dramatist, translator and academic. Teevan has premiered works in the National Theatres of Ireland, Scotland and the Royal National Theatre in London, He has been a regular collabo ...

and Paul Heritage. Direction Paul Heritage. Designer Gringo Cardia. * ''

Ghosts A ghost is the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that is believed to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to re ...

'' by Henrik Ibsen, adaptation Frank McGuiness. Direction William Oldroyd.

January 2008 – June 2008

* '' A Prayer for My Daughter (play)'' by Thomas Babe. Direction

Dominic Hill Dominic Hill is Artistic Director at the Citizens Theatre, Glasgow. He took up post in October 2011. Early life Hill was born in Wimbledon on 22 April 1969. Career From 2008 to 2011 he was artistic director at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh ...

. Design Giles Cadle. Lighting Bruno Poet. * ''

The Good Soul of Szechuan ''The Good Person of Szechwan'' (german: Der gute Mensch von Sezuan, first translated less literally as ''The Good Man of Setzuan'') is a play written by the German dramatist Bertolt Brecht, in collaboration with Margarete Steffin and Ruth Berlau ...

'' by

Bertolt Brecht Eugen Berthold Friedrich Brecht (10 February 1898 – 14 August 1956), known professionally as Bertolt Brecht, was a German theatre practitioner, playwright, and poet. Coming of age during the Weimar Republic, he had his first successes as a p ...

. Translation David Harrower. Direction Richard Jones. Set Miriam Buether. Costume Nicky Gillibrand.

June 2007 – January 2008

* ''

Ma vie en rose ''Ma vie en rose'' (English translation: ''My Life in Pink'') is a 1997 Franco-Belgian drama film directed by Alain Berliner. It tells the story of Ludovic, a transgender girl, and depicts her family and community struggling to accept her gende ...

'' based on the film by

Alain Berliner Alain Berliner (born 21 February 1963) is a Belgian film director best known for the 1997 film '' Ma vie en rose'', which won the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 55th Golden Globe Awards in 1998. Born in Brussels ...

. Direction Pete Harris. Music Gary Yershon. Choreography Ayse Tashkiran. * '' The Member of the Wedding'' by Carson McCullers. Direction Matthew Dunster. Design Robert Innes Hopkins. * ''Fragments'' by

. Direction Peter Brook. * ''

The Investigation ''The Investigation'' (original title ''Śledztwo'') is a science fiction/detective/thriller novel by the Polish writer Stanisław Lem. The novel incorporates a philosophical discourse on explanation of unknown phenomena. It was first publishe ...

'' by Peter Weiss, adapted by

Jean Baudrillard Jean Baudrillard ( , , ; 27 July 1929 – 6 March 2007) was a French sociologist, philosopher and poet with interest in cultural studies. He is best known for his analyses of media, contemporary culture, and technological communication, as ...

. Direction Dorcy Rugamba and Isabelle Gyselinx. Design Fabienne Damiean. * ''The Brothers Size'' by

(part of the Brother/Sister plays). Direction Bijan Sheibani. Design Patrick Burnier. * ''

A Christmas Carol ''A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas'', commonly known as ''A Christmas Carol'', is a novella by Charles Dickens, first published in London by Chapman & Hall in 1843 and illustrated by John Leech. ''A Christmas ...

'', by

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian er ...

, adapted and directed by Mark Dornford-May * ''

The Magic Flute ''The Magic Flute'' (German: , ), K. 620, is an opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. The work is in the form of a '' Singspiel'', a popular form during the time it was written that in ...

'' by

Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition r ...

, adapted and directed by Mark Dornford-May

October 2006 – June 2007

* '' Tobias and the Angel'' – Music by

. Words by David Lan. Direction

. Conductor

David Charles Abell David Charles Abell (born 1958) is an American orchestral conductor, multi-instrumentalist, and musicologist. Described as “a protean talent” with “impeccable and inspired” skill as a conductor, he is active in symphonic music, opera and ...

. Design Alexander Lowde. * '' Love and Money'' – by

Dennis Kelly Dennis Kelly is a British scriptwriter for theatre, television and film. His play ''DNA'', first performed in 2007, became a core set-text for GCSE in 2010 and has been studied by approximately 400,000 students each year. He wrote the book ...

. Direction Matthew Dunster. Design Anna Fleischle. * ''

The Enchanted Pig The Enchanted Pig (Romanian: ''Porcul cel fermecat'') is a Romanian fairy tale, collected in ''Rumanische Märchen'' and also by Petre Ispirescu in ''Legende sau basmele românilor''. Andrew Lang included it in ''The Red Fairy Book''. The tale ...

'' – Music by

. Words by

Alasdair Middleton Alasdair Middleton is a leading British opera librettist and playwright with librettos commissioned by the Royal Opera House, Opera North and the Berlin Philharmonic among others. He is responsible for a series of important operatic collaboration ...

. Direction

. Design Dick Bird. * '' The Soldiers Fortune'' – by Thomas Otway. Direction David Lan. Set Lizzie Clachan. Costumes Joan Wadge. * ''

generations A generation is "all of the people born and living at about the same time, regarded collectively." Generation or generations may also refer to: Science and technology * Generation (particle physics), a division of the elementary particles * Gen ...

'' – by

debbie tucker green debbie tucker green is a British playwright, screenwriter, and director. She spells her name in lower-case. She has written a number of plays, including ''born bad'' (2003), for which she won the Olivier Award for Most Promising Newcomer in 2004. ...

. Direction Sacha Wares. Design

. * '' A Respectable Wedding'' – by

. Translation Rory Bremner. Direction

. Design Ultz. * '' The Jewish Wife'' – by

. Translation Martin Crimp. Direction

. Design Hildegard Bechtler. * '' Senora Carrar's Rifles'' – by

. Translation Biyi Bandele. Direction Paul Hunter. Design Robert Innes Hopkins. * '' How Much Is Your Iron?'' – by

. Translation Enda Walsh. Direction Orla O'Loughlin. Design Dick Bird. * '' Vernon God Little'' – by DBC Pierre. Adaptation Tanya Ronder. Direction Rufus Norris. Design Ian MacNeil. Costumes

Nicky Gillibrand Nicky Gillibrand is a theatrical costume designer who was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Costume Design for ''Billy Elliot the Musical''. She won the Gold Medal for Costume Design at the 2003 Prague Quadrenale for the Royal Shakespeare Com ...

Digital Theatre

The Young Vic was one of the launch theatres for

Digital Theatre Strictly, digital theatre is a hybrid art form, gaining strength from theatre's ability to facilitate the imagination and create human connections and digital technology's ability to extend the reach of communication and visualization. (However, ...

, a project that makes theatre productions available in video download form. The first performances that were filmed were ''Kafka's Monkey'' and ''The Container''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Young Vic Buildings and structures completed in 1970 Theatres in the London Borough of Lambeth Producing house theatres in London 1970 establishments in England