The Old Vic series of Shakespeare productions in 1914. The building was damaged in 1940 during air raids and it became a Grade II* listed building in 1951 after it reopened. The Old Vic is the crucible of many of the performing arts companies and theatres in London today. It was the name of a repertory company that was based at the theatre and formed (along with the Chichester Festival Theatre) the core of the National Theatre of Great Britain on its formation in 1963, under Laurence Olivier. The National Theatre remained at the Old Vic until new premises were constructed on the
New Vic Theatre New Vic Theatre The New Vic Theatre is situated in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire. It was purpose-built as a theatre in the round and opened in 1986, replacing a converted cinema, the Victoria Theatre, Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent. In the early 1960s Stephen Joseph was searching for a permanent base for his "Studio Theatre" company, which specialised in theatrical productions "in the round", that is with audience on all sides. He found it in a disused cinema in Hartshill, Stoke, which was converted to theatrical use and opened as a playhouse on 9 October 1962. The first resident director was Peter Cheeseman, and he