Laurence Olivier - A Centenary Celebration at the National on Sunday 23 Sep 2007.

Laurence Olivier - A Centenary Celebration at the National on Sunday 23 Sep 2007.

A celebration to mark the cententary of the birth of Laurence Olivier, Director of the National Theatre from 1963-1973 (when it was based at the Old Vic), will be held in the National’s Olivier Theatre on Sunday 23 September at 6.30pm.

Telling the story of Olivier’s working life through film and stage extracts, letters, reminiscence and readings, the participants will include (subject to availability) Eileen Atkins, Claire Bloom, Anna Carteret, Derek Jacobi, Charles Kay, Clive Merrison, Edward Petherbridge, Joan Plowright, Ronald Pickup and Billie Whitelaw.

Tickets will be available later this year.

Prior to the evening celebration, a new statue of Laurence Olivier as Hamlet, created by the sculptor Angela Conner and funded by private subscription, will be unveiled on the South Bank, next to the National’s Theatre Square, at 4.30pm.

Laurence Olivier was born on 22 May 1907.