Daniel Rosenthal conjures up more stories and scenes from five decades of a unique national institution - the National Theatre

With excerpts from BBC archive programmes, the National Theatre Archive and Daniel's own personal recordings.

In the second of three episodes - in the poorly situated but democratically-designed dressing rooms, Daniel explains why John Gielgud once missed his cue.

On the Olivier Stage, he remembers the National's first artistic director Laurence Olivier and the less well known but much-loved Michael Bryant.

Plus tales of audiences who drank and smoked through an 8½ hour Ken Campbell opus, who participated in a circle dance performed by a member of Fairport Convention.

Featuring:

Judi Dench
Ken Campbell
Richard Briers
Howard Brenton
Laurence Olivier
Peter Hall
Richard Eyre
Nicholas Hytner

Productions featured include: ‘The Romans In Britain’, ‘Amadeus’, ‘Guys and Dolls’ and ‘The Wind in The Willows’.

Producer: Tamsin Hughes

Made for BBC Radio 4 Extra and first broadcast in October 2013. Show less