Old Vic

Theatre in south London, England, former home of the National Theatre (1963–76). It was founded in 1818 as the Coburg. Taken over by Emma Cons in 1880 (as the Royal Victoria Hall), it became a popular centre for opera and drama, and was affectionately dubbed the Old Vic. The artistic director is US actor and director Kevin Spacey, from 2004.

In 1898 Lilian Baylis, niece of Emma Cons, assumed the management, and in 1914 began a celebrated series of Shakespeare productions. Badly damaged in air raids in 1940, the Old Vic reopened 1950–81. In 1963 it became the home of the National Theatre until the latter moved to its South Bank building in 1976. In 1983 the Old Vic was bought by Ed Mirvish, a Canadian entrepreneur, and was refurbished in 1985.