The Red Lion was an Elizabethan playhouse located in Whitechapel (part of the modern Borough of Tower Hamlets), just outside the City of London on the east side.

The only play known to have been presented here was The Story of Samson, after some corrections had been made to the structure,[3] and there is little documentary evidence that the theatre survived beyond the summer season of 1567, although the lawsuit, from the little we know of it, dragged on until 1578.

The little that is known of the Red Lion comes principally from lawsuits between Brayne and his carpenters, and also with Edward Stowers, a blacksmith of Averstone, Essex (the modern Alphamstone).

"[10][11]The contract for the stage and turret is set forth in a plea brought in January 1569 in the Court of King's Bench by Brayne against John Reynolds, for 20 marks forfeit for breach of fulfilment.

[15] The first reference to playing in one of the speculated locations for the Red Lion is when actors were paid to perform at Mile End (which is within the parish of Stepney) on 6 August 1501.

[16] Attempts to locate the original site are made confusing by the various streets and public houses named "The Red Lion" (or "Lyon") which since have arisen thereabouts.

On 10 June 2020, a team of archaeologists from University College London announced that they had discovered the remains of the Red Lion theatre in Whitechapel.