Kenneth Tynan theatre critic until mid-1963 when he joined the National Theatre. In 1963, Laurence Olivier became the British National Theatre Company's first artistic director. Tynan had been highly dismissive of Olivier's achievements as artistic director of the Chichester Festival Theatre, which had opened in 1962, but he recommended himself for the role of literary manager. Olivier was initially outraged by Tynan's presumption but Olivier's wife, Joan Plowright, convinced him that Tynan would be an asset at the National Theatre Company, then based at the Old Vic theatre. When he became the National Theatre's literary manager, Tynan ceased to be the theatre
The Old Vic Tunnels it was announced that the Old Vic Tunnels would close its doors on 15 March 2013: "We have three great years to look back on, and are proud of the remarkable range of events and productions that we have presented in the space." In 2014, Vans won the bidding to operate the Old Vic Tunnels and transformed them into a skate park called the House of Vans. In February 2010, The Old Vic Theatre Trust acquired this new performance space beneath Waterloo station from BRB (Residuary). The unique venue showcased productions, performances and installations and was home to a series