The V&A's Theatre and Performance collections chart the history of theatre in Britain from the middle ages to today. From early dramatics forms such as mystery plays and court masques, to the alternative and 'in yer face' drama of the late 20th century.
A History of a Night at the Theatre
Drama in Britain grew of out church services at Easter from the 10th century onwards. By the 14th century mystery cycles of plays based on the Bible were performed outside …
Read article
Early Theatre
Most early theatre in England was religious and evolved from the liturgical drama of the 10th and 11th centuries. After the Reformation, religious drama was suppressed and …
Read article
Elizabethan Theatre
In the late 16th century all classes of society (apart from royalty) visited the public theatres. The new theatres were popular and their audiences had a voracious appetite…
Read article
17th-Century Theatre
The 17th century was a turbulent time for British theatre, from lavish court masques to the closure of the theatres under Cromwell and the decadence of Restoration drama.
Read article
18th-Century Theatre
During the 18th century theatre flourished as a popular pastime and many theatres were enlarged and new playhouses built in London and the provinces. One of the most succes…
Read article
19th-Century Theatre
The 19th century was the age of a truly popular theatre. New theatres opened to satisfy a demand for entertainment from the workers who flooded into the major cities as the…
Read article
Theatre Posters
The term ‘poster’ originates from the medieval period when brief hand-written details of performances were handed out and stuck to posts in towns. By 1576, when the first p…
Read article
Become a V&A Member
V&A Members enjoy a wealth of benefits, including free entry to exhibitions, previews, exciting events and the V&A Members’ Room. In addition, you will be supporting the vital work of the V&A.
Buy or Renew Membership OnlineShop online
Played in Britain: Modern Theatre in 100 Plays (Hardback)
Published in collaboration with the Victoria & Albert Musuem, Played in Britain: Modern Theatre in 100 Plays explores the best and most influentia…
Buy nowEvent - Lucy Worsley: An Intimate History of the Home
Tue 21 May 2013 18:30
EVENING TALK: Broadcaster and historian, Lucy Worsley is the author of many books that have chronicled the social and aesthetic history of the home including If Walls Could Talk which was also an immensely popular television series.
Book online
