Old Red Lion

The Old Red Lion stands at 418 St John Street in the London Borough of Islington. The building began as a small house in 1415 when Islington was still countryside outside the city. By the late 18th century it became a brick pub with three trees in its forecourt, frequented by William Hogarth, Samuel Johnson and Thomas Paine. The pub was rebuilt in 1899 in Free-Classical style with Neo-Jacobean and Renaissance details, giving it the nickname ‘the In and Out’ because of its two street exits. The façade still carries the inscription ‘THE OLD RED LION 1415 REBUILT 1899’ in Arts and Crafts lettering. Above the pub are four floors of residential flats, and inside the original glazed doors and wrought iron lanterns remain. The pub has been a fringe theatre since 1979, founded by the Devine family as the Old Red Lion Theatre Club. Under artistic directors such as Charlie Hanson and Ken McClymont the theatre became a workshop for actors, directors, designers, writers and technicians. After the King’s Cross fire in 1987 the theatre installed a fire escape to survive stricter regulations. The literary department now reads over 1,000 scripts each year under an open submissions policy. Notable productions have included Nina Raine’s first play Rabbit and the world premiere of Mischief Theatre’s The Play That Goes Wrong in 2012. Visitors find a small studio theatre on the first floor reached by stairs from the pub. The theatre retains its intimate scale and experimental atmosphere, with a programme that mixes new writing, comedy and classic revivals. The pub itself still serves drinks downstairs, its interior lined with original features and memorabilia from past productions. Outside, St John Street has changed from a country lane to a busy urban thoroughfare, yet the Old Red Lion keeps its historic character. The building’s Grade II listing recognises both its age and its continuing role in London’s theatre life.