We are a local theatre with a global reputation.
A show at the Orange Tree is close-up magic: live, entertaining, unmissable. We’re an intimate theatre with the audience wrapped around the stage. We believe in celebrating what it means to be human. We believe in putting people at the centre of the stories we tell. And we believe in the power of a writer’s words, an actor’s voice, and an audience’s imagination to transport us to other worlds and other lives.
We punch above our weight to create world-class productions of new and contemporary drama, revitalise classics and re-discoveries, and introduce children and young people to the magic of theatre.
We are deeply rooted in our local community in South West London. We work with thousands of people aged 0 to 100 in Richmond and beyond through participatory theatre, bringing generations together to build confidence, connection, and joy. Our ground-breaking Primary Shakespeare and Shakespeare Up Close projects pack the theatre with children and ignite a spark to last a lifetime.
Whether you’re sipping our orange-infused gin-and-tonic, performing in a community chorus, participating in an evening class, meeting actors at a post-show discussion or simply enjoying a great night of top-flight drama, we are a creative home for everyone.
We started life above the Orange Tree pub in 1971: the director Sam Walters and a group of friends staged lunchtime shows lit by daylight, a simple circle of chairs creating a space in the round. Since then, the OT has become one of the UK’s top theatres, but the ethos of a community of passionate artists creating something special has continued.
In 1991 we moved across the road into our beautiful in-the-round home, adapted from a disused primary school. We are internationally renowned for giving forgotten classics a new life, as well as premiering works by Vaclav Havel, Martin Crimp, Zoe Cooper, Sonali Bhattacharyya, David Edgar and Joe White. Actors Brian Cox, Richard E. Grant, Lily James, Victoria Hamilton and countless others have graced our stage, and a host of top directors including Sean Holmes, Rachel Kavanaugh and Tim Sheader started out here. We’ve collaborated with the National
Theatre, the RSC, and almost all the UK’s top theatres.
We’re a registered charity (266128). With only 180 seats and no support from Arts Council England, we rely on the generosity of our audiences and donors to raise £500,000 a year. These funds support our outstanding work on stage and in the community and invest in the next generation of talent. You can support the OT by donating, becoming a Member, buying a ticket, or simply spreading the word about what we do.
Our mission is for everyone to feel warmly welcomed and to experience the joy, power and creativity of live theatre. To leave our space enriched, and eager to return as a friend.
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