National Theatre Live
Encyclopedia
National Theatre Live is an initiative operated by the Royal National Theatre
in London, which broadcasts live via satellite, performances of their productions to movie theaters, cinemas and arts centres around the world.
- Nicholas Hytner, director of the Royal National Theatre
The programme began its pilot season in June 2009 with a production of Phedre
, starring Helen Mirren
, which screened live in 70 cinemas across the UK. 200 more venues eventually showed the production internationally, resulting in a combined audience of around 50,000 people for this one performance. The second production, All's Well That Ends Well
, showed at a total of around 300 screens, and today, the number of venues that show NT Live productions has grown to around 325.
With the exception of a Saturday matinee for Nation
, and a Monday evening showing for London Assurance
all National Theatre Live productions have been broadcast on a Thursday evening, to avoid interfering with cinemas’ weekend schedules. Most venues screen the productions live as they’re broadcast, but because of the time differences in South Africa
, Australia
and New Zealand
, venues in those countries show the recorded production some days later. Many venues also offer repeat screenings of popular productions.
Most productions broadcast are plays performed in repertory at the Royal National Theatre
, but two works by other companies were included in the programme for the second season. The first of these was A Disappearing Number by Complicite
, broadcast live from the Theatre Royal Plymouth on 14 October 2010. The second was the Donmar Warehouse
’s production of King Lear
, starring Derek Jacobi
, broadcast live from Covent Garden on 3 February 2011.
On 30 June 2011 (and varying dates internationally) National Theatre Live will broadcast The Cherry Orchard
directed by Howard Davies
live to cinemas around the world.
Season One
Phedre
– National Theatre: Lyttelton Stage – 25 June 2009.
All’s Well That Ends Well – National Theatre: Olivier Stage – 1 October 2009.
Nation – National Theatre: Olivier Stage – 30 January 2010.
The Habit of Art
– National Theatre: Lyttelton Stage – 22 April 2010.
London Assurance
– National Theatre: Olivier Stage – 28 June 2010.
Season Two
Phedre
– Encore screening – 23 September 2010.
A Disappearing Number
– Complicite: Theatre Royal Plymouth – 14 October 2010.
Hamlet
– National Theatre: Olivier Stage – 9 December 2010.
FELA! – National Theatre: Olivier Stage – 13 January 2011.
King Lear
– Donmar Warehouse
– 3 February 2011.
Frankenstein
– National Theatre: Olivier Stage – 17 March 2011.
The Cherry Orchard
– National Theatre: Olivier Stage – 30 June 2011.
One Man, Two Guvnors
- National Theatre - 15 September 2011.
Royal National Theatre
The Royal National Theatre in London is one of the United Kingdom's two most prominent publicly funded theatre companies, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company...
in London, which broadcasts live via satellite, performances of their productions to movie theaters, cinemas and arts centres around the world.
About
‘I grew up in Manchester in the 60s. If I had been able to see Olivier’s National Theatre at my local cinema, I would have gone all of the time.’- Nicholas Hytner, director of the Royal National Theatre
Royal National Theatre
The Royal National Theatre in London is one of the United Kingdom's two most prominent publicly funded theatre companies, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company...
The programme began its pilot season in June 2009 with a production of Phedre
Phèdre
Phèdre is a dramatic tragedy in five acts written in alexandrine verse by Jean Racine, first performed in 1677.-Composition and premiere:...
, starring Helen Mirren
Helen Mirren
Dame Helen Mirren, DBE is an English actor. She has won an Academy Award for Best Actress, four SAG Awards, four BAFTAs, three Golden Globes, four Emmy Awards, and two Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Awards.-Early life and family:...
, which screened live in 70 cinemas across the UK. 200 more venues eventually showed the production internationally, resulting in a combined audience of around 50,000 people for this one performance. The second production, All's Well That Ends Well
All's Well That Ends Well
All's Well That Ends Well is a play by William Shakespeare. It is believed to have been written between 1604 and 1605, and was originally published in the First Folio in 1623....
, showed at a total of around 300 screens, and today, the number of venues that show NT Live productions has grown to around 325.
With the exception of a Saturday matinee for Nation
Nation
A nation may refer to a community of people who share a common language, culture, ethnicity, descent, and/or history. In this definition, a nation has no physical borders. However, it can also refer to people who share a common territory and government irrespective of their ethnic make-up...
, and a Monday evening showing for London Assurance
London Assurance
London Assurance is a five-act comedy by Dion Boucicault. It was the second play that he wrote, but his first to be produced. Its first production, from March 4, 1841 at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden was Boucicault's first major success...
all National Theatre Live productions have been broadcast on a Thursday evening, to avoid interfering with cinemas’ weekend schedules. Most venues screen the productions live as they’re broadcast, but because of the time differences in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, venues in those countries show the recorded production some days later. Many venues also offer repeat screenings of popular productions.
Most productions broadcast are plays performed in repertory at the Royal National Theatre
Royal National Theatre
The Royal National Theatre in London is one of the United Kingdom's two most prominent publicly funded theatre companies, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company...
, but two works by other companies were included in the programme for the second season. The first of these was A Disappearing Number by Complicite
Complicite
The British theatre company Complicite was founded in 1983 by Simon McBurney, Annabel Arden, and Marcello Magni. Its original name was Théâtre de Complicité. "The Company's inimitable style of visual and devised theatre [has] an emphasis on strong, corporeal, poetic and surrealist image supporting...
, broadcast live from the Theatre Royal Plymouth on 14 October 2010. The second was the Donmar Warehouse
Donmar Warehouse
Donmar Warehouse is a small not-for-profit theatre in the Covent Garden area of London, with a capacity of 251.-About:Under the artistic leadership of Michael Grandage, the theatre has presented some of London’s most memorable award-winning theatrical experiences, as well as garnered critical...
’s production of King Lear
King Lear
King Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The title character descends into madness after foolishly disposing of his estate between two of his three daughters based on their flattery, bringing tragic consequences for all. The play is based on the legend of Leir of Britain, a mythological...
, starring Derek Jacobi
Derek Jacobi
Sir Derek George Jacobi, CBE is an English actor and film director.A "forceful, commanding stage presence", Jacobi has enjoyed a highly successful stage career, appearing in such stage productions as Hamlet, Uncle Vanya, and Oedipus the King. He received a Tony Award for his performance in...
, broadcast live from Covent Garden on 3 February 2011.
On 30 June 2011 (and varying dates internationally) National Theatre Live will broadcast The Cherry Orchard
The Cherry Orchard
The Cherry Orchard is Russian playwright Anton Chekhov's last play. It premiered at the Moscow Art Theatre 17 January 1904 in a production directed by Constantin Stanislavski. Chekhov intended this play as a comedy and it does contain some elements of farce; however, Stanislavski insisted on...
directed by Howard Davies
Howard Davies
Howard Davies is the name of:* Howard Davies , Wales rugby union international* Sir Howard Davies , Former Director of the London School of Economics and former British financial regulator...
live to cinemas around the world.
List of Productions
There have been two seasons of productions so far, the most recent one programmed until 30 June 2011.Season One
Phedre
Phèdre
Phèdre is a dramatic tragedy in five acts written in alexandrine verse by Jean Racine, first performed in 1677.-Composition and premiere:...
– National Theatre: Lyttelton Stage – 25 June 2009.
All’s Well That Ends Well – National Theatre: Olivier Stage – 1 October 2009.
Nation – National Theatre: Olivier Stage – 30 January 2010.
The Habit of Art
The Habit of Art
The Habit of Art is a 2009 play by English playwright Alan Bennett, centred on a fictional meeting between WH Auden and Benjamin Britten while Britten is composing the opera Death in Venice...
– National Theatre: Lyttelton Stage – 22 April 2010.
London Assurance
London Assurance
London Assurance is a five-act comedy by Dion Boucicault. It was the second play that he wrote, but his first to be produced. Its first production, from March 4, 1841 at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden was Boucicault's first major success...
– National Theatre: Olivier Stage – 28 June 2010.
Season Two
Phedre
Phèdre
Phèdre is a dramatic tragedy in five acts written in alexandrine verse by Jean Racine, first performed in 1677.-Composition and premiere:...
– Encore screening – 23 September 2010.
A Disappearing Number
A Disappearing Number
A Disappearing Number is a 2007 play co-written and devised by the Théâtre de Complicité company and directed and conceived by English playwright Simon McBurney. It was inspired by the collaboration during the 1910s between two of the most remarkable pure mathematicians of the twentieth century,...
– Complicite: Theatre Royal Plymouth – 14 October 2010.
Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
– National Theatre: Olivier Stage – 9 December 2010.
FELA! – National Theatre: Olivier Stage – 13 January 2011.
King Lear
King Lear
King Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The title character descends into madness after foolishly disposing of his estate between two of his three daughters based on their flattery, bringing tragic consequences for all. The play is based on the legend of Leir of Britain, a mythological...
– Donmar Warehouse
Donmar Warehouse
Donmar Warehouse is a small not-for-profit theatre in the Covent Garden area of London, with a capacity of 251.-About:Under the artistic leadership of Michael Grandage, the theatre has presented some of London’s most memorable award-winning theatrical experiences, as well as garnered critical...
– 3 February 2011.
Frankenstein
Frankenstein
Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a novel about a failed experiment that produced a monster, written by Mary Shelley, with inserts of poems by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Shelley started writing the story when she was eighteen, and the novel was published when she was twenty-one. The first...
– National Theatre: Olivier Stage – 17 March 2011.
The Cherry Orchard
The Cherry Orchard
The Cherry Orchard is Russian playwright Anton Chekhov's last play. It premiered at the Moscow Art Theatre 17 January 1904 in a production directed by Constantin Stanislavski. Chekhov intended this play as a comedy and it does contain some elements of farce; however, Stanislavski insisted on...
– National Theatre: Olivier Stage – 30 June 2011.
One Man, Two Guvnors
One Man, Two Guvnors
One Man, Two Guvnors is a play by Richard Bean. It opened at the National Theatre in June 2011. The play, directed by Nicholas Hytner, starred James Corden and is an English adaptation of Servant of Two Masters , a 1743 Commedia del Arte comedy by the Venetian playwright Carlo Goldoni...
- National Theatre - 15 September 2011.