Old Vic Theatre
103 The Cut, London, SE1 8NB
Old Vic Theatre Tickets
Martin Guerre
Old Vic Theatre
Tickets from £23.50Martin Guerre is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, creators of Les Misérables and Miss Saigon, in which a man returns to his wife and village after years away, only to be suspected of being an imposter by his community. Based on a remarkable historical mystery, retold many times in many mediums, this latest revival comes with new lyrics, new folk-inflected orchestrations and an immersive in-the-round staging.
- Opens: Thursday, 15 October 2026
Booking until: Wednesday, 25 November 2026 - Running time: 1 hr 30min. No interval.
- Playing at: Old Vic Theatre
- Booking until: Wednesday, 25 November 2026
A Christmas Carol - Old Vic
Old Vic Theatre
4.9 32 reviews 4.9 32 reviews Tickets from £29.00Charles Dickens' classic Christmas story returns to the stage in this spooky, heartwarming stage adaptation by Matthew Warchus, now in its tenth year. Step into the gloom of Victorian London and join the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge on a ghostly journey through time in this imaginative, immersive theatrical experience that the whole family can enjoy this festive season.
- Opens: Thursday, 12 November 2026
Booking until: Saturday, 9 January 2027 - Running time: 2 hours (incl. interval)
- Playing at: Old Vic Theatre
- Booking until: Saturday, 9 January 2027
Old Vic Theatre Facilities
- Air conditioned
- Bar
- Disabled toilets
- Infrared hearing loop
- Toilets
- Wheelchair/scooter access
Old Vic Theatre Access Tickets
Disabled theatregoers and their carers can get discount tickets. Please phone the Old Vic Theatre access line on 0344 871 7628.
Old Vic Theatre Location
Travel Information
Nearest Tube station
- Southwark
- Lambeth North
Nearest Rail Station
- Waterloo
Tube lines
- Jubilee
- Bakerloo
Day buses
- (Waterloo Road) 1, 4, 26, 59, 68, 139, 168, 171, 172, 176, 188, 521, X68; (Mepham Street) 211, 243, 507
Night buses
- (Waterloo Road) 139, 176, 188, N1, N68, N171; (Mepham Street) 243
Old Vic Theatre Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get to the Old Vic Theatre?
The Old Vic is at 103 The Cut, SE1 8NB, almost directly across the road from Waterloo. The Underground there — Bakerloo, Jubilee, Northern and Waterloo & City — and the mainline station are both about three minutes' walk; Southwark on the Jubilee is five, and Blackfriars roughly fifteen. Leave by the Waterloo Road exit and the theatre is in front of you.
Is the Old Vic Theatre an accessible space?
Yes, and notably well for a theatre of 1818. A ramp runs from street level to the foyer, and a side entrance on Waterloo Road has lift access to the same place. There are ten wheelchair spaces in the Stalls with companion seats beside them — a generous number for a house this size. Assistance and guide dogs are welcome, and staff will look after a dog during the performance if that suits you better. Captioned, audio-described, BSL-interpreted and relaxed performances run periodically through the season.
What time should I arrive at the Old Vic Theatre?
Thirty minutes before the start. Being a step from Waterloo makes the Old Vic easy to reach but means a lot of the audience arrives at once, and the bag check at the door is where that gathers. The Penny bar in the foyer and the merchandise counter are both worth the earlier arrival.
Is there a dress code at the Old Vic Theatre?
None at all. Come in whatever suits you; a jacket is a reasonable precaution, since a two-hundred-year-old auditorium can be cool before a full house settles. Dressing up is welcome and, in a room with this much history, quite in keeping — but nobody will notice either way.
Can I take photographs inside the Old Vic Theatre?
Not during the show. Before the performance, after it and at the curtain call you are welcome to take pictures. The auditorium is the draw — a horseshoe of tiers largely unchanged in shape since the Georgian building went up — and it photographs best from a stalls seat looking up.
Does the Old Vic Theatre have a cloakroom, and is there a charge?
Yes, in the foyer, for coats and small bags, at a small charge per item. Larger bags and suitcases are not accepted. Since the theatre is opposite a mainline station, it is worth saying plainly: a suitcase cannot be left here, so make other arrangements before you travel over.
Old Vic Theatre history
From the outside
A lovely, symmetrical traditional theatre frontage gives way to London brick sides with graceful arches and circular windows. Inside, the auditorium is created in a traditional horseshoe shape with beautiful cream and gold seating and a stunning crystal chandelier above.
Old Vic Theatre architecture and history
Designed by Rudolph Cabanel, The Old Vic was built specifically to entertain the nobility and gentry, opening way back in 1818 with a fine assortment of period melodrama, ballet and dance. It was originally nick named the The Royal Coburg Theatre because of the cash donated by the Saxe Coburg Gotha royal family.
The theatre changed its name an impressive yet confusing four times over the next seventy years, closing down in between each name change. In 1884, then called the Royal Victoria Hall and Coffee Tavern, it finally began to win respect as a theatre, with a series of highly popular Shakespeare plays.
Like many London theatres the building suffered serious bomb damage in the Second World War, which saw it empty until 1950 when it was finally rebuilt. But in 1963 the National Theatre Company was formed, taking the Old Vic as their home and bringing success in its wake.
The NTC moved to their new premises at the new National Theatre complex in 1976 and, at this point, things became very uncertain with rumours about the building’s fate running rife. It was threatened with replacement by a pub and even a lap-dancing venue, but the Old Vic Theatre Trust took on the challenge and the venue was eventually saved, coming back to vibrant life. Hollywood star Kevin Spacey took on the role of artistic director and quickly raised the theatre’s profile to dazzling heights, starring in numerous Old Vic theatre productions ever since.
Past shows at the Old Vic Theatre
Over the decades, throughout its initially troubled history, the Old Vic theatre has hosted Gaslight and Cinderella, Speed The Plow and Pygmalion, Table Manners and Living Together. Audiences have been thrilled by Round and Round the Garden and Complicit, Dancing at Lughnasa and the classic The Cherry Orchard. A Winter's Tale has taken its place alongside Inherit the Wind, Six Degrees of Separation and The Real Thing. Shakespeare’s As You Like It and The Tempest have played to packed Old Vic houses, as have Design For Living, A Flea in her Ear, Cause Celebre, Richard III and The Playboy Of The Western World.
Old Vic Theatre access
The Old Vic is almost two centuries old and, as such, access is restricted in some areas simply because of its age and layout. There’s no step-free access to the foyer, box office or bars but the theatre staff are always happy to help with accessibility issues.
Old Vic Theatre tickets
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