London Theatre Company, founders of the Bridge Theatre and the London venue housing immersive space Lightroom, has been acquired by Trafalgar Entertainment.
The move brings both London venues under the ownership of the live entertainment company co-founded by Howard Panter and Rosemary Squire.
The Bridge Theatre, which opened in 2017 on the South Bank near Tower Bridge, is currently operated by London Theatre Company and has been run since its founding by artistic director Nicholas Hytner and executive director Nick Starr. It has now been acquired by Trafalgar for an undisclosed amount, with Hytner and Starr “working collaboratively” with Trafalgar during the acquisition.
The 900-seat venue has operated as an independent producing house since opening, staging work that has transferred to the West End and Broadway. Its next production, a new version of The Oresteia, begins previews this week. The venue’s Olivier Award-winning production of Into the Woods will also transfer to the West End this autumn.
The venue housing Lightroom, the immersive visual arts venue in King’s Cross, was founded in 2023 as a joint venture between London Theatre Company and 59 Productions. The space, located on Lewis Cubitt Square near Coal Drops Yard, launched its programme with a David Hockney exhibition and has since hosted large-scale immersive works using projection technology across its main hall. Its CEO is Richard Slaney and its executive chair is Starr.
Lightroom was developed in part as a temporary use of a building originally intended to become a second theatre for London Theatre Company, with future plans to be confirmed.
Hytner stated he would be “moving on” as part of the acquisition, saying today: “Building the Bridge Theatre and working on its repertoire with a host of extraordinarily talented people has been a thrilling experience. I couldn’t be more admiring of the artists and colleagues who have been responsible for making so many memorable productions and creating a theatre that has quickly become a favourite destination for audiences. And I’m extremely grateful to those audiences for their enthusiasm and loyalty. After nine years, it feels like the right time to be moving on, and I’m very happy that its new owners, Trafalgar Entertainment, will be taking it into the future.”
Trafalgar Entertainment has grown considerably since its founding in 2017. Its portfolio also includes management of 23 venues across the UK and beyond (including Trafalgar Theatre in the West End) under Trafalgar Theatres, as well as Stagecoach Performing Arts, Trafalgar Tickets, Jonathan Church Theatre Productions, Stagedoor and ticketing agency London Theatre Direct. They are also leaseholders of the new British Airways Theatre at Olympia, due to open next year.
Panter and Squire elaborated on their plans for the venues, saying: “We see this as an exciting ‘next chapter’ in that story — an evolution that builds on the extraordinary foundations already in place. The Bridge is a successful and much-loved part of London’s cultural offer, and Lightroom is establishing itself as a major London attraction. Our focus is on maintaining that momentum in both spaces.
“We are attuned to what the Bridge means to its audience, what is required to support its growth, development, sustainability and continued success – and proud to play a part in taking the London Theatre Company into its next phase, creating opportunities, new partnerships, and creative collaborations with producers — adding to what makes it so special.”
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.whatsonstage.com ’
