Royal National Theatre in Lambeth

Wonderful performance of Ballet shoes! Really lovely set. Super talented cast! Brillant stpry told by the actors including thr esemble Excellent dancing! Loved Petrova being lifted above the audience and Fossil sisters! Very colourful lighting. not too loud for audiences, Really helpful staff. pretty views of River thames. Lovely theatre! really closr to Waterloo tube, Delicious icecream. Lovely bars in the theatre. Easy to find, Loved my visit to National theatre. Thsnk you! 10/10

Love this place so much. Incredible, multifunctional space where you can hang out regardless of whether you have theatre tickets. Slightly overrun with kids at the weekend but more peace and quiet on the first floor

It's an amazing privilege to get to the National Theatre; if you have the opportunity, you just have to go! Everything is inspiring - the sets, the actors... It's pure magic. On my latest visit, I saw Ballet Shoes 🩰 Fantastic adaptation, a joy for all ages. There's also so many spaces to chat pre and post show with eateries and a lovely shop (so many books! I was amazingly restrained).

We went to see ballet shoes. Great production and a wonderful theatre!

Super performance (Ballet Shoes) and not at all what I expected. An updated version of the classic tale of an eccentric family of how three orphans and an unconventional group of people triumph over adversity. Entertaining (and with only the necessary amount of ballet). The four stars is because the cafe on the ground floor served us a lovely casserole which was not that warm. We asked for it to be heated up and the staff were very helpful but had no means of warning it up. We were compensated adequately but manager please note: hot food should be served hot (preferable on warmed plates) and you should have some meals of reheating available.

The Royal National Theater in London, often simply called the National Theatre, is one of the most prestigious and influential theaters in the world. Situated on the south bank of the River Thames, the building itself is an architectural icon, with its exposed concrete structure and large windows offering spectacular views of the river. The theater offers a wide range of performances, from English theater classics to experimental productions, with a particular emphasis on contemporary drama. The quality of the productions is always very high, with internationally renowned actors and innovative directors. In addition to the shows, the National Theater also offers a series of collateral events, such as workshops, conferences and exhibitions, which allow the public to deepen their knowledge of theater and the performing arts.

Favourite place in London. Whether it’s to work on my laptop for a few hours or come see a show with a mate the national theatre is my happy place! 💖

Amazing atmosphere and a huge shop!

Great place and incredible plays

Quality venue. Quality production. Very expensive, but that's the theatre now, post pandemic. Arts need more funding.

The tour is very good - twice most days good backstage access

I went to see a performance of ballet shoes. The costumes, the acting and the dancing was great.

Great theatre with amazing plays and performers

There is a good Workspace here too

Apart from one clueless member of staff on arrival, the staff were excellent and very helpful. Spacious and good visibility in theatre spaces.

Fantastic theatre experience 🎭 location is great, loads of restaurants & bars.

Attending The Importance of Being Earnest at the National Theatre was a memorable experience. The building itself, with its imposing Brutalist architecture, stands as a testament to modernist design—an institution dedicated to the arts. Inside, the performance was a delight. The actors were brilliant, bringing Oscar Wilde’s witty dialogue to life with impeccable timing and charm. The set design was generous and outstanding, creating a rich visual experience that complemented the play’s sharp humor and satirical edge. While the first act felt a bit slow, the second act truly brought the story to life, drawing the audience into the absurd yet insightful world Wilde so cleverly crafted. After the play, we took a stroll along the Thames, taking in the breathtaking nighttime views of the illuminated Big Ben and the London Eye. The contrast between the city’s historic landmarks and its modern skyline made for a perfect ending to the evening—a reminder of London’s timeless ability to blend culture, history, and artistic brilliance in one unforgettable experience.

Ballet Shoes - an imaginative and exceptionally well performed show.

Me and some of my Friends went to have some Drinks after the Theater at understandy Last night, WE Had a Lovley evening there. But what surprised me the most was how clean the bathroom at this bar was, it was a unisex bathroom, ive never really seen a unisex bathroom at any bar before so this is what surprised me Evan more, it was soo so Clean. I Wish every bar toilet would BE so Clean 😅. Defo coming Back again

The place needs some renovation*. The facilities and staff are fine. The productions are all top notch and amongst the best in the country. * We only saw the public side, not the dressing rooms which should obviously be luxurious for all the stars who perform there.

Expensive as per London, but a quieter place than the usual manic venues.

Great vibe and friendly helpful staff

Yesterday I saw Ballet Shoes .The production was excellent & brought to life a book I had enjoyed as a child. Unfortunately on my way out I missed a step & fell.. I must praise the staff as immediately a medic arrived ,this young woman was so kind & professional, she checked.me over & stopped my nose bleeding .I can't thank her enough for her care.

We were watching Ballet Shoes which was incredibly mindblowing, loved the staff as I was little let than my friends in the show.

Superb theatre. We were in the stalls but with the layout I can imagine all seats are good here.

Performance of the importance of being earnest was amazing. The script, the acting and set was brilliant.

Theatres are great in this building, and roomy seats. It is however, out of most people’s reach financially. Tonight I saw the latest iteration of The Important of being Ernest. It was so disappointing; modern day dumbed down Boris Johnson/Simon Cowell style akin to an ITV Panto.

A large, top-notch venue befitting its titular status.

Only met here for our film group. Plus still feels as cold in atmosphere as when it first opened way back when. Drinks overpriced. £9.00 for a Gin. Seriously???!

Enjoyed the show. Comfortable seating.

As with any theatrical offering, it depends on the show! This time (17 Jan. 2025) Ballet Shoes was excellent! Enthusiastic and professional cast telling a story, best remembered by ladies of a certain age who had read it some time ago - but also enjoyed by an older chap who was not aware of it! Excellent staging and story telling in an (externally) concrete monster of a venue.

Ballet Shoes - Jan 2025 - lonely story and wonderful performance. Great show of Jack Absolute Flies Again. Update - The Motive and the Cue - an excellent performance.

Ate in the restaurant Lasoun before the show, good food...

Wow! This place is incredible 😁

Approached by "A male manager " Saturday afternoon 3pm who said he noticed I was leaving an auditorium and was I seeking somewhere to relax I replied I had had coffee and used the bathroom I felt most uncomfortable with this encounter and generally perceived an unwelcome atmosphere

Brilliant as ever. The Importance of Being Earnest.

Viewing in the Littleton Theatre was great - perfect sightlines, good acoustics and comfy seats. We went to a performance of The importance of being earnest which was very well adapted and performed.

Great experience. Food at the venue not cheap but everything else was great.

The National Theatre is really ugly - one of the worst examples of modern (1950s) architecture in central London. Looks like a nuclear power station. It should never have been allowed. Is it too late to have it demolished? I am angry whenever I see this dreadful, hideous monstrosity.

It is a cool modern building, and the theatre has very comfortable chairs to sit in. A marvellous theatre with finest if British actors. If you're in London to visit, don't miss out on seeing a play instead of a musical. Easy to buy tickets over the internet.

One of my favourite theatre. Lot of space to roam around and have a drink. The three are excellent and well developed. You can also have a nice view of the Thames from some higher floors of the building

Amazing experience being at the NT, staff was very friendly and kind. Ballet Shoes was fantastic.

Sight lines awful. From the middle balcony raking is so shallow you can't see the fore stage for the person seated in the row in front.

A bit tatty compared to a few years ago...but a wonderful space all the same

Great food, good prices, huge variety, clean and tidy, brilliant shows

What an amazing venue. Triple AAA

Very impressed, stunning views from the top floor too

My first time here. Very helpful staff and such a great space.

Good pre theatre meal. Nice bread and butter. Ham and beans was very nice. Chips were extra. But we’re very nice. Nice soft serve chocolate ice cream and cheese was lovely. Coffee was good but they can’t do cappuccino or even hot milk. Service was very good. All food very tasty.

Excellent performance The importance of being Ernest!

The intimidating and uncompromising exterior masks a spacious interior: soaring vertical angles and grained concrete tones and textures of grey encasing 3 theatres, public foyers, bars and restaurants. Grade II Listed, opened in 1976, virtually a National institution with a world-wide reputation for showcasing thespian skills and excellence. Criticism here superfluous.

Always a good theatre experience. Lots of cafes and bars within buildings.

If you like Theatre this the place to be

Fantastic venue! First visit and I wasn't disappointed.

Amazing time, brilliant performance. Everything you could want in the evening, drinks, food and relaxing environment

Very easy to use and a great price

My Nan passed away recently and she came with us to see War Horse years ago. We all had a great experience and I will always think of going here with her.

Saw Ballet Shoes. It was brilliant!

Always an amazing experience and great performances

Cannot imagine ever choosing to dine here again as the service was abysmal. Only saving grace was theatre proximity and passable food

Great place to watch theatre! The National need to work on making it accessible to these from the global majority.

Importance of Being Ernest, Lyttleton Theatre....absolutely brilliant. Humorous, comedic and very well performed. Catch it if you can

Best place in London to get a drink and even though south bank is heaving with people and tourists the national theatre is basically always empty.

The Importance of Being Earnest

It was a pretty astonishing experience seeing the show. First row isn't that bad!

Located in good place and is really cheap

This was my first trip to the National Theatre. We really enjoyed it.

When to see a play call Tupperware it was about dementia if you get a chance go see it really good

Reservado aquí siguiendo la recomendación de un amigo, y superó las expectativas. Cálido, acogedor ambiente, amable personal atento - espontáneamente ofreció más mantequilla para nuestra masa madre de treacle, después de uno de nosotros - slathererd una porción - grandes bebidas y menús de comida, y platos calientes! - un elemento esencial para una comida exitosa, pero con frecuencia pasado por alto incluso en los mejores restaurantes de gama. Puntos de bonificación para el personal por no preocuparse de que nos quedamos charlando más allá de la hora de cierre de las 3 pm para el almuerzo, aunque probablemente porque todos estaban metidos en su propio almuerzo para entonces, un par de mesas abajo - puntos de bonificación para el establecimiento en ese frente, siempre es un toque muy agradable ver al personal siendo cuidado y disfrutando de la misma comida que los comensales - da una sensación de camaradería. Gran ambiente, buena comida, muy recomendable.

It has three theatres within the complex, food & drinks are available. But outside food & drink options are better. The staff are very friendly and helpful.

Lovely setting for watching plays in one of 3 theatres as well as meeting up for pretheatre drinks, snacks or meals.

Lovely building, lots of different theatres in the same building. Lots of seating areas for a drink before or after the production.

Me and my son totally loved the architecture, the brutal concrete, amazing building.

Such a large, well appointed theatre. Could use more helpful signage closer to the street. Staff was so helpful. Love attending theatre here.

Very comfortable seat second row from the front of the Circle, only £35 & of course a fascinating production of Coriolanus.

You either love or loathe British Brutalist architecture, but I'm definitely a lover of it. The The Royal National Theatre of Great Britain (known simply as 'The National') is very much a 'national treasure' for the arts. It's not widely known that it is also a working factory, with many of the set designs, props and clothing, made on site. A tour behind-the-scenes is very worthwhile. The venue has 3 theatres: The Olivier theatre, the Lyttleton theatre, and the Dorfman theatre, each of which has it's own unique design and quirkiness. I struggle to choose a favourite but I do love that the Olivier theatre, named after Laurence Olivier (the National's first artistic director) has bright purple seats, which were Olivier's favourite colour and cannot be changed because they are protected. If you go to see a show during the winter months and are in the upper section of the Olivier theatre, wrap up warm as it can get a little chilly!

Brilliant glamorous London and great theatre

Very helpful Box Office. Several theaters at the NT. Suggest booking in advance. £20 tickets are available and we'll worth it for the budget minded, especially if taking in several shows. The National Theater is a must visit place!

An excellent day out. Good food in the foyer, excellent seating in the Stalls. Excellent production and acting and stage management. Brilliant acting. Spectacles and hearing aids for partially sighted and deaf folks. Subtitles in English for all which was a great help for understanding Shakespearian language. Loved it

Nice atmosphere. Plenty of eating choices. Came to see Coriolanus and was bowled over.

Good seats albeit a bit cramped.

Visiting The Dorfman Theatre for the first time I saw a performance of "A Tupperware of Ashes" starring Meera Syal and Shobna Gulati. The auditorium is compact which adds to the cosiness of the performance which was outstanding. Earlier in the afternoon I was able to visit the "skywalk" and peer down on the many backstage areas. Fascinating.

Back in London for a short visit and had to go to the national. Also a great experience and the play was excellent.

Friendly staff, speaking French. I had a great time. In addition, I needed information the next day, the response by email was very quick.

Super nice venue, with bar, restaurants, bookshop! If you’re not up for a show, you can just hang around, find a spot where to work.

What a great place! Went to see tupperware of ashes at the Dorfmann. I found they offered a hearing aid free of charge for my hearing loss. Staff were helpful. Play was very high quality. Very lovely afternoon out.

Went to see tuperware of ashes ,fantastic play about a indian family whose mother has dementia.... Superbly played

Great show, great set and acting. Coriolanus.

Loved the traditional vive of the theatre atmosphere

I saw Corialanius today. Never been to the National Theatre, so was pretty excited. First things first, the building was absoutly ugly. Was expecting beautiful architecture for the countries NATIONAL theatre, not a concrete mess. Secondly, the prices for refreshements during the interval were a bit expensive, but not to bad for London. Main problem was them charging £2.75 for little cans of normal water. Thirdly, the shop was terrible. Full of far left literature, about things which having NOTHING TO DO with theatre or plays. Books about Palestine, LGBTQ, Communism, and criticial race theory. No problem with those topics, but didn't belong in the shop of a theatre, least not the national one. The first half of the plays was fairly bad. The second half howver, was absoulty amazing. Don't know why the contrast was so stark, but it was. My only critique would be that I wasnt a massive fan of some of the directors choices, mainly that they were wearing early 20th century, rather than Roman era costumes. This sort of thing is done quite commonly with shakespeare which is a shame. The poster shown he main actor in a Roman costume, which mislead me into thiking it was going to be proper costumes. If I knew it wouldnt be, I wouldnt bothered coming.

Went in for Corialanus great play, great venue

One of the best theatres in London. Just a superb venue.

Yes there was a treather there that was good I'm liking that aswell just simply stunning place

Amazing building, even if you are not going to a play, a visit for a coffee/drink is totally worth the time

A severely delayed train meant I needed dinner in London rather than heading back to Salisbury as previously planned. The National Theatre has a range of places to eat and I eventually settled on The Understudy for a bowl of delicious noodles. I could easily have been tempted to more but this was so delicious and so filling that I restrained myself!

Beautiful building, excellent affordable seats, high-quality performances

Last Saturday I had a catch up with a wonderful friend Lydia in the cafe near the windows overlooking the Southbank and Thames .Lovely to spend time talking over a coffee and cake .It is such a vibrant space and became busier towards midday .In the end we had lunch and then walked over the bridge towards the Harry Potter shop to get a Birthday present .i would say we were there for three and a half hours catching up and enjoying the space including the bookshop and main shop .It reminded me of things I loved doing while living around London before moving to Dorset .I hope I can see a play on my next visit .It's the most choice of amazing Theatre and the best meeting place .

Coriolanus! Amazing. I love this space. I would literally live here!

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. This production left me very conflicted. It seems to be 2 separate plays that run consecutively. How much the whole relates to Ancient Rome or Elizabethan England is, frankly a question I am still thinking about. I made the decision to attend this production solely on the basis of one piece of information. The soliloquy spoken by the lead character, David Oyelowo, sold me the ticket. Theatre visits are a luxury treat for me due to circumstances beyond my control. The few productions I have seen prior to this in the last few years have unfortunately sounded like people reciting telephone directories, so to hear a thespian deliver the meaning of the greatest playwright of the modern era with the gravity it deserves because he's considered the significance of the words in depth, well that immediately spiked my interest. Shakespeare is that rare phenomenon which is almost synesthetic in its ability to make language as a form of music in it's intellectual ability to deliver words with the emotional voracity of the greatest music you ever heard. This is why it's still so special and still untouchable. To say I was excited about this production of the play considered to be "hard core" and difficult is understatement, I could hardly contain myself. Firstly let me start by saying that the National Theatre is phenomenal. Wow, hats off, my first visit, it is amazing. The auditorium, the proximity to the stage, full marks, what a fantastic theatre, it is, kind of half way to being "in the round", which thanks to being a former resident of Scarborough who was lucky enough to attend Alan Ayckbourn's old stomping ground I greatly appreciate. Before anything started there was a very, very interesting set, made of multiple modules of monoliths of the same height but various horizontal dimensions. I have never seen anything like it, it is true genius and again leans towards the in the round tradition. It was utilised in ways I could not have predicted. Again, full marks. Coriolanus is a play about the most successful, most dangerous, most macho, marshall, military human male in a Culture based on the same characteristics who is wronged by a group of sly, crafty politicians on a quest for their own glory and naval gazing. No parallels with today then. This is a morality play. I couldn't help comparing it with Julius Caesar and currently, Donald Trump. The Romans were the most kick-ass Civilization since the Ancient Greek Civilization, with less emphasis on the immaterial in favour of the substantial like engineering (as far as it is known). Elizabethan England was, probably, the most kick-ass group of humans to appear post Rome. I enjoyed the last year of Grammar School thanks to being put through the 11-plus a year early and there was still a great emphasis on Classical Civilization and the discipline brought forth by them which I admired. I was surprised when in the first few moments, one of the first characters who appeared was a woman. I like women, but didn't expect to see a production crammed with them. They were not a prominent up-front feature of Marshall Rome. Priestess, Prostitute, both, plenty of roles but generally in the background unless they were from the ruling elite families. Elizabethan England was similar. If a "woman" appeared on stage "she" most probably looked like "she" had just finished a tour of the worst zone of military conflict because "she" was really a he, who was likely some hairy-assed Special Forces Operative natural born killer. Women were not a feature of Elizabethan theatre. Women, women, women, women, women. By the end of the first act it wasn't just the smoke machine that was making my eyes sting I'm sure the oestrogen was playing it's own significant part. There were minor criticisms like some of the minor characters forgetting to remember you can only project you voice if you are pointing in the right direction. The music and sound effects intruded a couple of times on the sacrosanct lyrics. These are just coaching items for tidying up. The ini

Wonderful building and a fantastic atmosphere