It is over four decades since the National Theatre Company under Laurence Olivier gave their first ever performance. Since the opening night of Hamlet starring Peter O'Toole on 22 October 1963 the National Theatre has produced over 600 plays.

The posters in the collection are some of the most visually stimulating theatre posters produced anywhere in the last 40 years. A poster is designed, usually in-house by the National's Graphics Department, for every production at the National.