I know nothing about theatre. But I really enjoyed coming here. A great example of how some decent lighting can make even the worst looking building look, well, quite interesting. It’s certainly distinctive.

I remember not being able to buy bitter in the interval, but perhaps one should be drinking wine under these circumstances.

You get very, very close to the actors. So have to be quiet. And you can always pretend you’re watching Heat if you get bored…

This lump of concrete on the south bank produces endless amounts of world-class theatre. With three theatres inside the building, producing 18 plus shows a year, and at ten pounds a ticket for many shows, it’s cheaper and better than most london cinemas. It should be made part of law that people should visit the National.

If you’ve never been, go. If you do go, go more. And if you see everything there, then you’re probably a critic.

True, it seems extraordinary that no-one has reviewed the National here, before now (although I think specific productions have featured…) still we are putting that to rights!

BushGirl has explained comprehensively why the National is such a treasure, and a must-visit, so I’ll just add a few personal highlights…

I have seen two of the best productions ever, here: The Rose Tattoo (Tennessee Williams, with Zoë Wanamaker, in 2007) and The Sea with Judi Dench, several years ago - both for a bargain ticket price… and long to remain in my memory.

The Cottesloe - the most informal and smallest space - is often set-up in the round, and especially audience-friendly. The Travelex and last-minute ticket offerings make good theatre accessible to all, so long as there are still tickets available for your chosen performance…

Don’t miss the National Theatre, it’s one of London’s star-turns!

I can’t believe no one has reviewed the National!

A stalwart of British Theatre since it’s inception in the 60’s/70’s and production house of many great shows over the last few decades.

This is the National Theatre, where all that is good in British Theatre should end up at or come from.

There are three seperate auditoria in the building, The Olivier (the largest, for the big time shows) , The Lyttleton (smaller, but still nearly 1000 capacity) and Cottesloe Theatre - an adaptable studio space for more experimental or developmental work.

By all accounts it’s an ugly building from the outside by day, by night it’s lit in various colours making it less of an eyesore on the lovely Southbank. Inside, it’s almost labyrinthian, with bars, cafes and the multiplicitous theatres snaking off in different directions.

Since 2003 Travelex sponsorship has allowed many NT tickets to be sold for £10, which is really terrific value for this type of stuff.

Recent highlights have included, Complicite’s Measure for Measure, Jerry Springer the Opera, The History Boys and His Dark Materials.

There are so many shows produced by the NT across the whole range - new writing, old classics, reworkings, star casts, star writers, new talent…. It’s a place teeming with theatrical activity.

Another good spot for coffee and people watching on the Southbank, there are often free outdoors performances on the terrace in the Summer.

Essential for any theatre lover.