Remembering Frank Dunlop, founder of the Young Vic Theatre

Frank Dunlop (1927 - 2026) was a transformative force in British theatre who defined the spirit and purpose of the Young Vic, leaving a lasting legacy which continues to this day.

In 1970, he established the Young Vic as an offshoot of the National Theatre with a mission to create a new kind of theatre for a new generation - one that was unconventional, classless, open, and cheap. The Young Vic was conceived as a 'paperback' theatre, where high-quality work would be made available to all at low cost.

He directed the first ever show at the Young Vic in September 1970. Scapino, a modern adaptation of Molière’s farce, proved a critical and commercial success and set the theatre’s foundations for providing accessible, popular works for new and younger audiences.

Throughout his leadership in the 70s, Frank championed modern takes on classic texts, contemporary writing and bringing international voices to the London stage. The Young Vic became a place where new political writing shared space with reimagined classics and where theatre traditions were challenged. He was committed to education and experimentation and placed young actors, directors, and designers at the heart of the theatre’s work. Workshops, discussions and outreach initiatives were central to the Young Vic establishing itself not only onstage but as a major part of the community.

Frank Dunlop’s impact remains influential in the theatre’s history and continues through the Young Vic’s work and ethos on stage and in the community and the belief that great theatre should be bold, international, socially engaged and available to everyone. His original vision still resonates deeply with our endeavour today.