In 1970 Lawrence Olivier, flushed with success as the Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company and acclaimed around the world as Lawrence of Arabia, threw his energy into a new, idealistic project. He would build a temporary theatre, on the cheap, for five years only. In it he would stage works both old and new for a new audience of youngsters polluted by the drivel on TV.

Well, it worked and it didn’t. The theatre was a resounding success, so much so that any thought of tearing it down vanished. But kids are still morons.

To this day, the Young Vic operates an educational programme around every production, on a mission to inspire the young and spread the word that theatre is for anyone and everyone.

From the outside the theatre is a concrete monstrosity but inside it is now plush and comfortable, and often stages quite brilliant shows. This is one of the institutions keeping British theatre great, and you can feel the smugness in the air.