LONDON — Trafalgar Entertainment has acquired the London Theatre Company (LTC), which includes the Bridge theatre and the Lightroom venue for immersive art shows. The acquisition expands Trafalgar Entertainment's portfolio, which already includes more than 20 venues in the United Kingdom and internationally.

The London Theatre Company was founded in 2017 by Nicholas Hytner and Nick Starr. Hytner served as a former National Theatre artistic director, while Starr was a former National Theatre executive director. The Bridge theatre, which has a flexible 900-seat auditorium, also opened in 2017 by Hytner and Starr. Hytner directed the Bridge's opening production of "Julius Caesar" and a long-running production of "Guys and Dolls," which concluded with the audience dancing alongside the actors.

Hytner recently directed "Giant" at the Royal Court, which later transferred to the West End and Broadway. He is also staging James Graham's play "The Standard of Living" in the West End in September. The London Theatre Company's next production at the Bridge is "The Oresteia," written and directed by Simon Stone. Stone's version of Chekhov's "Ivanov" was postponed to summer 2027 due to a scheduling issue for its star, Chris Pine. The Olivier award-winning musical "Into the Woods" from the Bridge theatre is scheduled to transfer to the West End in September.

Nicholas Hytner stated, "After nine years, it feels like the right time to be moving on. 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."

Nick Starr, co-founder and outgoing CEO of the London Theatre Company, commented on the initial vision for the company. "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," Starr said. He added, "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." Starr and Hytner worked together at the National Theatre for over a decade. Lightroom, which is located in King's Cross, has presented immersive shows featuring artists such as David Hockney, Vogue, and David Bowie.

Howard Panter and Rosemary Squire, founders and joint CEOs of Trafalgar Entertainment, established their company in 2017. They 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." Trafalgar Entertainment operates venues in the UK and Australia, including the Trafalgar theatre in the West End. The British Airways theatre is set to open in west London next year.