Theatre503

The theatre was founded in 1982 as the Latchmere Theatre (the name taken from that of the pub downstairs), an offshoot of the Gate Theatre, Notting Hill Gate. It is a studio theatre. The opening production was an adaptation of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, which proved so successful that the production transferred to the West End. In 2004, the theatre was renamed as Theatre503. Under that name, the venue saw the premiere of works by writers including Duncan Macmillan, Tom Morton-Smith, Anna Jordan, Alice Birch, Charlene James, Katori Hall, Jon Brittain, and Phoebe Eclair-Powell. It has won the Peter Brook Empty Space Award and two Olivier Awards, in 2010 for its production of Katori Hall's The Mountaintop and 2017 for Rotterdam by Jon Brittain. Over 120 debut and emerging writers are staged each year in more than 70 productions ranging from one night series of shorts to full length four week runs. In a two-year cycle, they read and receive over 4,000 scripts including their bi-ennial International Playwriting Award, 503 Five writers-in-residence, unsolicited and their Rapid Write Response programme. Winners of The Theatre503 International Playwriting Award • 2014: Bea Roberts – And Then Come the Nightjars and Paul Murphy – Valhalla • 2016: Andrew Thompson – In Event of Moone Disaster • 2018: Danusia Samal – Out of Sorts • 2020: Pravin Wilkins – Moreno • 2023: Roxy Cook – A Woman Walks into a Bank ==Awards==