The Old Vic
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.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1818
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
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.
The Old Vic firmographics
Firmographics- 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
The Old Vic industry classification
Industry- 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
Where The Old Vic is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Old Vic business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- 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.
- 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)
- 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.
- Corporate Partnerships: Corporate partners sponsorship programme with various partnership tiers.
- Venue Hire and Events: The Old Vic hires out its facilities for events, corporate hire and other activities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Preview Performances |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Performances - Off-Peak |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Performances - Peak |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Glengarry Glen Ross |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Access Rate |
| Subscription | Monthly | OV Together Membership |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
The Old Vic product offering
Product offeringCore 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
Companies that use The Old Vic
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
The Old Vic technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature1 record
The Old Vic partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Old Vic competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad 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
The Old Vic social profiles
Digital presenceThe Old Vic financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Old Vic leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The Old Vic funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Old Vic M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Old Vic
What does The Old Vic do?
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.
Is The Old Vic a public or private company?
The Old Vic is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Old Vic founded?
The Old Vic was founded in 1818. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is The Old Vic based?
The Old Vic is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The Old Vic make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are membership Programs, donations and Charitable Support, corporate Partnerships and venue Hire and Events.
Who are The Old Vic's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Royal Shakespeare Company, Sadler's Wells Theatre and National Theatre. ATG (Ambassador Theatre Group) is listed as an others. English National Ballet is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Bridget Theatre, Donmar Warehouse, Young Vic Theatre, Menier Chocolate Factory and Almeida Theatre.
Does The Old Vic have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Old Vic.
What industry is The Old Vic in?
The Old Vic's product category is Live Theatre and Performing Arts. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGABAH, Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama), with a secondary code of THAJAFAB, Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts. Its NAICS code is 71111 and its SIC code is 7900.