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10 Leigh/Olivier Destinations in England — #5

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The Noel Coward Theatre
St Martin’s Lane
Nearest tube stops: Leicester Square

The Noel Coward Theatre is one of the most popular theatres in London’s West End.  Prior to being named after the famous playwright, it was called the Albery, and before that, the New Theatre.  It was here that the Old Vic and Sadler’s Wells companies took up home while they waited for their respective theatres to re-open in 1950 due to damage inflicted during the Blitz.  Laurence Olivier became a superstar at the New Theatre when he mesmerized audiences as Richard III, Oedipus, and King Lear in the mid 1940s.  Olivier and Ralph Richardson managed the Old Vic company during this time.

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10 Leigh/Olivier Destinations in England — #6

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54 Eaton Square
SW1W 9AL
Nearest tube stops: Victoria and Knightsbridge

54 Eaton Square in Belgravia, Westminster was the flat that was purchased by Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier in the late 1950s. As they were going through a period of estrangement before they actually divorced, Laurence Olivier did not stay here much, but after their split, he continued to pay the rent so Vivien could use it as her home in the city, which she continued to do until her death in 1967.

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10 Leigh/Olivier Destinations in England — #7

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St Martin in the Fields
Trafalgar Square
London WC2N 4JJ
Nearest tube stop: Charing Cross

Hop on the tube to Charing Cross and you’ll find yourself in Trafalgar Square, home of the National Gallery and Nelson’s Column.  It is also home to the 18th century church of St Martin in the Fields.  According to wikipedia, the original church that stood at this site dated back to the 13th century, with graves dating back to Roman times.

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10 Leigh/Olivier Destinations in England — #8

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Westminster Abbey
Nearest tube stop: Westminster

Just across Westminster Bridge next to the Houses of Parliament is Westminster Abbey, a grand cathedral where many luminaries from British history are interred and where coronations have been held for centuries.  One such famous person who rests there there is Laurence Olivier; his ashes are buried in Poet’s Corner next to the likes of Rudyard Kipling, Thomas Hardy, Robert Browning, David Garrick and the real Henry V.

Attending mass at Westminster Abbey is free, but taking any sort of tour of the tombs and gravestones cost about 12 pounds (I’m pretty sure there is a student discount, though).

If you are a history nerd like me, you’ll probably find the admission price worth it, as well as an audio or guided tour.  Aside from all of the literary and acting elite in Poet’s corner, I found the Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots tombs the most interesting as one is buried on top of the other!  History is fascinating.

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Now Playing: Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier in September

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This month on TCM… Vivien Leigh is being featured as Star of the Month (watch the amazing promo they put together to celebrate her talent and beauty here) and they are also featuring films that deal with the theme of revenge.  That being said, there is going to be a plethora of amazing films on TCM in September and I encourage you to tune in!  The full schedule is below:

The Roman Spring of Mrs Stone (1962) | September 4, 3:30 am & September 28, 8:00pm … Continue reading