The Old Vic

What The Old Vic does

The Old Vic is an independent, not-for-profit theatre company — legally The Old Vic Theatre Trust 2000, a UK registered charity (no. 1072590) and private limited company (no. 3667822) — operating from a single venue at The Cut, London SE1 8NB. Founded in 1818 (originally as the Royal Coburg Theatre) and re-established under its current charitable structure in 2000, it programmes and produces live theatrical productions for general audiences, schools, community groups, disabled patrons, and corporate hire clients. Under Artistic Director Matthew Warchus (appointed 2014), the venue has been reconfigured into one of the largest In The Round stages in the UK, holding nearly 900 seats on a 360-degree circular stage.

Core products span theatrical productions (e.g., Mary Page Marlowe, Glengarry Glen Ross, How the Other Half Loves, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Martin Guerre, A Christmas Carol), a layered membership ecosystem (OV Together for paid priority members, OV Local for Lambeth/Southwark residents, OV Loyalty for points, OV Access for disabled patrons), education and outreach (The Hub digital learning, Schools programmes, Artist Development, Community Projects), and adjacent services (Backstage cafe and bar with free Script Library, Event Hires, Gift Vouchers, OLD VIC: IN CAMERA live streaming, and E-Tickets). The technology backbone is Tessitura, an industry-standard ticketing and CRM platform used to manage ticket sales, donations, and membership data.

Revenue is generated across five streams: transaction-fee ticket sales (peak tickets reaching £91.50 plus a £1 restoration levy, access tickets at £23.50-£26.50), recurring membership and loyalty income, donations and grants (including the Arts Council England Culture Recovery Fund), corporate sponsorship tiers (PwC, Bird & Bird, Backstage Trust, Huo Family Foundation, The Public Fund, and others), and professional-services venue hire. Distribution is omnichannel — direct via website, telephone and in-person box office, The Old Vic's own gift voucher system, Theatre Tokens redemption, and third-party West End partners such as ATG Tickets for transfers like Arcadia at the Duke of York's Theatre. Audience acquisition uses content marketing, email, YouTube, organic social, and earned media, with the 200-year brand heritage functioning as the principal demand-generation asset.

Name

The Old Vic

Legal name

The Old Vic Theatre Trust 2000

Website

https://oldvictheatre.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1818

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Old Vic is an independent not-for-profit London theatre (founded 1818, charity no. 1072590) producing live theatrical productions on a 900-seat In The Round stage, supported by a multi-tier membership ecosystem (OV Together, OV Local, OV Loyalty, OV Access), education and community programmes, corporate sponsorships, and venue hire.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Theatre and Performing Arts

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama) (MPAGABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts (THAJAFAB), Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)

Keywords

• Live theatrical productions
• Theatre venue hire
• Theatre membership programmes
• Accessible performances
• Theatre education programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream from selling tickets to theatrical performances. Tickets are sold directly through the website and box office with e-ticket delivery. Ticket prices range from preview prices to peak pricing.
2. Membership Programs: OV Together (membership with priority booking, behind-the-scenes access, special events), OV Local (discounts for Lambeth/Southwark residents with 10% bar discount), and OV Loyalty (points on tickets and programmes)
3. Donations and Charitable Support: Registered charity (no. 1072590) relying on donations, grants and sponsorship from individuals, trusts, foundations and businesses. Receives support through Culture Recovery Fund from Arts Council England.
4. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate partners sponsorship programme with various partnership tiers.
5. Venue Hire and Events: The Old Vic hires out its facilities for events, corporate hire and other activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Old Vic presents live theatrical productions at its London venue, staged in an In The Round configuration (circular stage with 360-degree audience seating for nearly 900 people). Its core commercial activity is selling tickets to classic and contemporary plays and musicals, supplemented by accessibility performances, membership programmes, education and community outreach, hospitality, and venue hire for events.

Product overview

The Old Vic is an independent not-for-profit theatre based in London, presenting a diverse portfolio of theatrical productions staged In The Round (a 360-degree circular stage configuration seating approximately 900 audience members). The core offering includes classic and contemporary plays and musicals, supported by accessibility programs (OV Access providing Audio Described, BSL Interpreted, Captioned, and Relaxed performances), membership programs (OV Local for local residents, OV Loyalty for points-based rewards, OV Together for premium members), educational initiatives (The Hub for digital learning, Schools programs, Artist Development, Community Projects), hospitality services (Backstage Cafe & Bar with Script Library), and digital services (E-Tickets, OLD VIC: IN CAMERA streaming, Event Hires). The venue also operates a ticketing and CRM system powered by Tessitura.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• OV Local: Discount membership programme for residents of Lambeth and Southwark offering reduced tickets and bar discounts.
• OV Access
• OV Loyalty
• OV Together
• Backstage
• The Hub
• OLD VIC: IN CAMERA

Products and services

• Theatrical Productions Live theatrical productions staged In The Round (circular stage with 360-degree seating for nearly 900 audience members), featuring classic and contemporary plays and musicals.
• OV Access

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 900 seats in In The Round configuration - one of the largest in UK
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Royal Shakespeare Company: Major UK classical and contemporary theatre producing company operating in Stratford-upon-Avon and London. Comparable as a large producing charity but with a classical canon focus and significantly larger scale.
• Sadler's Wells Theatre: London's principal dance and performance arts presenting venue (~1,500 seats) with international co-productions and touring. Comparable as a London producing/presenting charity but with a different artistic focus (dance rather than drama).
• National Theatre: UK's flagship publicly funded producing theatre on the South Bank with three auditoria, originating major transfers (War Horse, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time). Operates at much larger scale but competes for the same producing talent, donor pool, and audience.

Others

• ATG (Ambassador Theatre Group): UK's largest theatre operator and ticketing reseller, distributing West End tickets including The Old Vic's Arcadia transfer. Comparable as an ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor given ATG's operator rather than producing role.

Emerging players

• English National Ballet: UK performing-arts charity producing live theatre-adjacent performance at London venues with similar funding model (Arts Council England, donations, ticket revenue). Overlaps primarily on operating model rather than art form.

Direct peers

• Bridget Theatre: Newer London commercial/cross-subsidised producing theatre (~900 seats) opened in 2017, run by Nicholas Hytner and Nick Starr ex-National Theatre. Directly comparable in scale, producing model, and target audience.
• Donmar Warehouse: London independent not-for-profit theatre with ~250 seats in Covent Garden known for high-profile productions with star casts. Comparable in producing model, charitable status, and intimate staging scale.
• Young Vic Theatre: Sister London not-for-profit theatre founded 1970 from the original Old Vic Company, staging classic and contemporary work including musical theatre in an intimate 500-seat configuration. Closest direct peer given shared heritage, London location, similar scale, and overlapping producing model.
• Menier Chocolate Factory: Small (~180-seat) London fringe theatre known for originating shows that transfer to the West End. Comparable producing model and transfer-to-West-End pipeline (e.g. La Cage aux Folles, Sunday in the Park with George).
• Almeida Theatre: Independently run North London ~590-seat theatre presenting new and classic work with strong director-led identity. Closely comparable as a producing-focused charity theatre with subscription and corporate partner model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/OldVicTheatre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-old-vic

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Old Vic