Old Red Lion Theatre

The Old Red Lion Theatre is a fringe theatre, situated above a pub at The Angel, in the London Borough of Islington.

The pub in itself is one of the oldest in London, having first been built in 1415 in what was then the rural village of Islington in open countryside and fields. A house called Goose Farm and some nearby cattle pens (for herds being driven to Smithfield Market) were the only structures to adjoin it, and St John Street (then called Chester Road) was a country lane.

The Old Red Lion was rebuilt in 1899, adding two exits onto different streets. This gave the pub the nickname "the In and Out" since taxicab passengers could avoid paying their fare by entering it through one door and disappearing through the other.

In 1979 a small studio theatre opened on the pub's first floor. The Old Red Lion Theatre has played host to some of Britain's most exciting theatrical talent since it was founded in 1979 as the Old Red Lion Theatre Club.

Then led under the Artistic Direction of Charlie Hanson (Birds of a Feather, Harry Hill and Extras) it became a place for actors, directors, designers, writers and technicians to experiment and thrive with their art.

After the King's Crossfire in 1987, the theatre was threatened with closure due to the tightening of fire regulations. A saviour came in the form of new Artistic Director Ken McClymont who raised funds to keep the theatre from closing.

Nina Raine, winner 2006 Most Promising Playwright Award, staged her first show 'Rabbit' at the Old Red Lion Theatre March/April 2006.

The Old Red Lion is a 60-seat theatre situated in Angel, in the heart of Islington.

For over 30 years the theatre has played host to some of Britain's most exciting theatrical talent, since its foundation in 1979 as the Old Red Lion Theatre Club.

Under the Artistic Direction of Charlie Hanson (1979-1987), Ken McClymont (1987-2002), Melanie Tait (2002-2004), and most recently Helen Devine (2004-2010), the Old Red Lion has built its reputation as a hotbed for exciting and innovative new theatrical talent.

The Old Red Lion receives over 1,000 scripts every year. Old Red Lion Theatre is constantly looking for new plays which help reassess the way we live today. They accept both solicited and unsolicited scripts.

THE TEAM

Damien Devine, Executive Director

Helen Devine, Managing Director

Nicholas Thompson, Artistic Director

Gareth Jones, Bar Manager

Ben Weatherill, Literary Manager

Tadhgh Barwell O'Connor, Senior Reader

Stephen Makin, Artistic Associates

Kellie Spooner, Nick Rogers

The Old Red Lion Theatre

418 St John Street

London