The Royal Court Theatre is located in Sloane Square and since 1956 has been home to The English Stage Company. The play has become renowned for its pioneering new work and cultivating new writers. The Royal Court was Britain’s first national theatre company
In its sixty year history the theatre has nurtured the talents of writers including John Osborne, Samuel Beckett, Arnold Wesker, Ann Jellicoe, Howard Brenton and David Hare. In recent years this list has grown to include Caryl Churchill, Athol Fugard, Mark Ravenhill, Simon Stephens, debbie tucker green, Sarah Kane; and, more recently, Lucy Kirkwood, Nick Payne, Penelope Skinner and Alistair McDowall.
In 1969, the Royal Court opened the 60-seat Theatre Upstairs, one of the first black box studios opened by a mainstream theatre. One of its early productions included The Rocky Horror Show by Richard O’ Brien.
The theatre has also produced several iconic plays including Laura Wade’s Posh, Jez Butterworth’s Jerusalem and The Ferryman and Martin McDonagh’s Hangmen which won Best New Play and Best Set Design at the Olivier Awards 2016.
The current Artistic Director is Vicky Featherstone.