Opened in 1994, the Tristan Bates Theatre is dedicated to the memory of Tristan Bates, son of Actors Centre patron Sir Alan Bates, an aspiring actor who died at the age of 19.

An intimate studio theatre, the TBT has an acclaimed history of showcasing and supporting the best new work in the heart of Covent Garden. Over the past two decades the theatre has presented an extensive catalogue of performances and events spanning a wide range of genres. These include Jonathan Lewis’ smash hit play I Found My Horn (which transferred to the Hampstead Theatre and Chichester Festival Theatre in 2009); the hugely popular Museum of Broken Relationships, taking over Covent Garden in summer 2011; and the in-house Ignition new writing festival, which developed work by some of the country’s finest emerging writers from 2008-10.

More recent programme highlights include Conspirator’s Kitchen’s Golgotha directed by Iqbal Khan; smash-hit musicalsThe Last Session starring Darren Day and the WhatsOnStage Award-nominated Thrill Me; touring productions of Fifth Word / Nottingham Playhouse’s Bones and Up in Arms’ Fear of Music with Out of Joint; and the DYSPLA Festival of work by dyslexic storymakers.

In 2013 the TBT undertook a major capital project, supported by the Foyle Foundation, which saw new seating, technical equipment and soundproofing in the auditorium.