The National Theatre is set to commemorate 50 years at its South Bank location with a free outdoor installation. Titled 'Stories Start Here: 50 Stories for 50 Years', the exhibition will open on the Queen's Walk in October 2026.
The wooden structure, inspired by the Olivier Theatre's amphitheatre seating, will face the building itself. Visitors will have the opportunity to sit and listen to memories, anecdotes, and reflections from actors, writers, directors, designers, staff, and audience members.
Recordings from the installation will be accessible globally via the Bloomberg Connects app, and a story station inside the theatre will print stories on eco-friendly paper as mementos. Additionally, the theatre is introducing a new apprenticeship, named after its architect Sir Denys Lasdun, to provide training in the mechanical and electrical engineering skills essential for maintaining the building.
Indhu Rubasingham, director and co-chief executive, described the building as "a place where artists, audiences and communities have come together to share stories." The National Theatre moved into its purpose-built South Bank home, constructed between 1969 and 1976, after 13 years at the Old Vic. The Grade II listed building, initially divisive, is now widely recognised as a landmark of brutalist architecture.