Hotels near Cottesloe Theatre

National Theatre, South Bank, SE1 9PX
Nearest Tube: Waterloo / Southwark

Its unmistakably brutal 1960s architecture - now softened by purple neon lights after dusk - towering over the south bank of the Thames, the National Theatre is one of British drama's crown jewels.

The National Theatre Company's first performance was Peter O'Toole as Hamlet in 1963, under founding father Laurence Olivier at the nearby Old Vic.

By 1976 Olivier's dream of a permanent home for the nation's finest new voices and performers became a reality as the company moved to its new, vast concrete lodgings, and now stands on the water's edge between the South Bank Centre, the BFI South Bank (formerly the National Film Theatre) and Tate Modern as one of the city's cultural landmarks.

Though not always as radical as some in theatreland would like, what the National continues to do brilliantly is meld fresh visions of the classics with developing remarkable new writers and directors in productions that are often lavish, usually finely acted, and sometimes hugely memorable - large productions at the National are so heavily scrutinised, they're rarely not major theatrical events. Playwrights like Tom Stoppard, David Hare and Joe Penhall found their voices beneath the concrete, and directors like Sir Peter Hall, Trevor Nunn and current enfant terrible Katie Mitchell's visions are given free reign at the National thanks to the uniquely big budgets spent on productions here.

The National itself is actually three separate theatres - see our further entries for more on the Olivier main house and the Lyttleton spaces. The Cottlesloe is the smallest and therefore the edgiest of the three: seating 400 depending on the production, the chameleonic nature of this studio means your as likely to see an experimental physical theatre company in the round as you are a more traditional classical staging, and this adaptability means that National productions that push the boundaries often take place within its walls.

The complex is a great day out in itself: as well as the beautiful Thames-side views there's a number of good cafes onsite, an excellent bookshop and regular live music and discussions in the foyers before showtime.

During the summer, an artificial green lawn rolls up outside the theatre creating a free performance space for everything from jazz bands to radical puppet shows and beyond.

The best way to see shows at the National Theatre is the annual £10 Travelex Season, with great seats at the biggest shows for just a tenner - though book early.