The Royal Court is situated on Sloane Square and is one of the world’s most prominent theatres for new writing. Originally opening in 1870, the theatre has undergone several rebuilds over the years. Most recently, the Royal Court was given a £16.2 million grant for essential building works, reopening in 2000 following a four-year redevelopment project.
The Royal Court entered a golden age when it became the home of the English Stage Company in 1956, led by George Devine. The intention was to create a writer’s theatre and produce new British and foreign plays. John Osborne’s Look Back in Anger was one of the first plays produced by the ESC and was a critical and commercial success, transferring to the West End and Broadway. The theatre’s smaller Upstairs studio, with a capacity of just 63, opened in 1969 and one of its earliest productions was the world premiere of the iconic musical The Rocky Horror Show.
Over the years the Royal Court has premiered work from some of the world’s most prolific playwrights, such as Caryl Churchill, Edward Bond, Sarah Kane and Christopher Hampton. Recent notable productions include Jez Butterworth’s The Ferryman, Laura Wade’s Posh, and Martin McDonagh’s Hangmen, which transferred to the West End’s Wyndham’s Theatre.
