Olivier Theatre (London, Great Britain)
Olivier Theatre
The largest of the National’s three theatres, the Olivier, is built in the style of an amphitheatre with a fan-shaped auditorium.
The Olivier Theatre is named after Laurence Olivier, the first Director of the National Theatre (during its years at the Old Vic).
It has seating for about 1,100 people on two levels: Stalls and Circle. To reach either level, use one of the four lifts from the main foyer on the Ground Floor, as directed by our staff.
There are three blocks of seats in the curving circle section, which rise beyond the stalls, which has two main tiers of steeply raked seats − flanked by side-banks on a higher level − all of which sweep down to the stage. In spite of its size, the Olivier has a concentrated intimacy. No seat is far from an actor’s point of command; and the span of the seats matches their effective span of vision. They can hold the audience within the compass of their eyes.
The stalls level has refreshments, a bookstall and bars open one hour before and during intervals. The Circle has a bar, with the same opening times.