The Unicorn Theatre is a producer of professional theatre for children in Britain. It is based in a RIBA

Riba

Riba means one of the senses of "usury" . Riba is forbidden in Islamic economic jurisprudence fiqh and considered as a major sin...

 Award–winning centre in Tooley Street

Tooley Street

Tooley Street is a road in South London connecting London Bridge to St Saviour's Dock; it runs past Tower Bridge on the Southwark side of the River Thames, and forms part of the A200 road. - St Olave :...

, in the London Borough of Southwark

London Borough of Southwark

The London Borough of Southwark is a London borough in south east London, England. It is directly south of the River Thames and the City of London, and forms part of Inner London.-History:...

, opened in 2005. The centre was designed by Keith Williams, built by Arup

Arup

Arup is a global professional services firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom which provides engineering, design, planning, project management and consulting services for all aspects of the built environment. The firm is present in Africa, the Americas, Australasia, East Asia, Europe and the...

 and comprises two theatre spaces (the Weston and Clore Theatres), an education studio, rehearsal space and café.

The theatre was founded in 1947, by Caryl Jenner, originally as a Mobile Theatre, In 1961, Jenner began presenting children's productions at the Arts Theatre

Arts Theatre

The Arts Theatre is a theatre in Great Newport Street, in Westminster, Central London. It now operates as the West End's smallest commercial receiving house.-History:...

 in the West End

West End theatre

West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...

, and in 1967 the company took over the lease of the theatre which then became Unicorn's permanent performing base until 1999; during this period the normal run of adult performances continued during the evenings.

The Unicorn is made up of two organisations. Caryl Jenner Productions (named after the founder) is known as "Unicorn Theatre for Children" and Caryl Jenner Productions is the organisation which commissions, produces and markets all the Unicorn’s shows.

Sources

• The Oxford Companion to the Theatre, Phyllis Hartnoll (ed), Oxford (1983) ISBN 0192115464