Trafalgar Entertainment has acquired the London Theatre Company (LTC), which owns the Bridge theatre and the Lightroom immersive art venue in London. The deal, announced on 22 August 2024, transfers ownership from founders Nicholas Hytner and Nick Starr to the company that operates over 20 venues in the UK and Australia.
Background of the Acquisition
Hytner and Starr founded LTC in 2017 after leaving the National Theatre, where Hytner served as artistic director and Starr as executive director for over a decade. The Bridge theatre, located near Tower Bridge, features a flexible 900-seat auditorium and opened with a promenade production of Julius Caesar. Hytner described establishing the theatre as a “thrilling experience” and noted that after nine years, “it feels like the right time to be moving on.”
Hytner and Starr's Remarks
Hytner expressed admiration for the artists and colleagues who created memorable productions, making the Bridge a favourite destination for audiences. Starr, co-founder and outgoing CEO of LTC, said: “When we began this project, we wanted to build a theatre that felt genuinely contemporary – flexible, ambitious and open to as many people as possible. Since then, the Bridge has become home to an extraordinary range of productions and artists and has shown how adaptable and resilient theatre can be.”
Trafalgar Entertainment's Plans
Howard Panter and Rosemary Squire, founders and joint CEOs of Trafalgar Entertainment, stated: “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.” Trafalgar Entertainment operates venues including the Trafalgar theatre in the West End and the 1,575-seat British Airways theatre set to open in west London next year.
Notable Productions and Future Plans
The Bridge has staged hits such as a long-running Guys and Dolls that ended with audience dancing, and an Olivier award-winning production of Into the Woods, which transfers to the West End in September 2024. Hytner recently directed Giant at the Royal Court and will stage James Graham's new play, The Standard of Living, in the West End in September. Lightroom in King's Cross has presented immersive shows about David Hockney, Vogue, and David Bowie. LTC's next production at the Bridge is The Oresteia, written and directed by Simon Stone after Aeschylus, replacing a postponed Ivanov due to a scheduling issue with star Chris Pine.
