Free Streaming Theatre To Watch At Home
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A world of free streaming theatre to watch at home. With theatre doors closed for the foreseeable future, many venues are having to adapt and one way they are is making their shows available online.
We’re all disapointed that we can’t attend live theatre at the moment, but this should not mean you can’t enjoy free streaming theatre at home – make an event of it.
With such companies as The RSC, The National, Sadler’s Wells and the Mathew giving access to some of their productions to you at home.
Here’s our timetable of great shows on offer not to be missed.
A huge selection of Free Streaming Theatre
Andrew Lloyd Webber Productions
Every week
The iconic maestro himself Andrew Lloyd Webber launched the YouTube channel The Shows Must Go On.
It channel launched with Donny Osmond’s cast in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
A full-length ALW production will be available every Friday from 7pm for just 48hrs.
Sadler’s Wells
Available Now
Sadler’s Wells has unveiled a raft of incredible content that it will be providing throughout the coming few months for its audiences in lockdown.
The programme launched on World Theatre Day (Friday 27 March), with filmed dance performances available to watch live together with an online audience, or on demand for seven days thereafter.
Fri 1 May, 7.30pm: Breakin’ Convention – The Jazz re:freshed Sonic Orchestra
Fri 8 May, 7.30pm: Alexander Whitley Dance Company – 8 Minutes
Fri 15 May, 7.30pm: Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan – Moon Water
Joe Stilgoe
1pm Daily
‘Stilgoe in the Shed’ Live at 1pm daily– Mondays it’s Musicals, Wednesday is mash-ups and Friday is children’s requests. You can also catch up on previous eopisodes!
Joe Stilgoe is an internationally acclaimed singer, pianist and songwriter. He has created a fresh sound for jazz in the 21st century, known for writing songs that feel like they’ve been around for years, and adapting classics that sound as though they were just written. As a recording artist he has released 5 critically lauded albums, three of which have topped the UK Jazz chart. His latest album, launched in June 2019, is a new departure of style and genre. THE HEAT IS ON! is Joe’s unique interpretation of the soundtrack from the 1980’s, reimagined with a full 1950’s Big Band.
Growing up as the youngest of 5 children he was surrounded by music, with two parents in the business – songwriter and TV personality Richard Stilgoe and opera singer Annabel Hunt.
Over the course of his varied career he has become a true modern-day entertainer, known globally as a performer of wit, style and a level of musicianship which has seen him recognised as one of the best singer-pianists in the world. Always searching for a new way of bringing not only his own songs but those he loves from the past to a new audience, he is an enticing mix of his heroes Danny Kaye, Nat King Cole and Dudley Moore.
ZARA
Available Now
WOW, now this is BIG! – Mind the Gap, Walk the Plank and Emergency Exit Arts’ outstanding 2019 show is now available online. Featuring 100 performers and a giant giant baby, bigger than a double-decker bus!
The production took place outside the Imperial War Museum, London, and can now be seen in your living rooms for FREE.
When Eva was born, her mother wasn’t prepared for what was coming next.
Eva is no ordinary baby. Eva is a giant threat to society.
The army is called; the world’s media descend on the UK; there are protests and placards, opinions and destruction.
And there is Zara, her mother.
A mother who will defend the child she loves with all her might.
A mother against the world.
With a soaring musical score, a cast of over 100, cherry pickers, tanks, 3D projections and a mechanical, moving ‘baby’ that’s bigger than a double decker bus, ZARA promises to be a one-off, unique experience. A giant outdoor theatre event for the whole family, which tells the epic story of one learning disabled mother and her fight to protect her baby.
Love’s Labour’s Lost
Available Now
Deafinitely Theatre, the award-winning company plans to release three shows over the next three months. The first online is Love’s Labour’s Lost – performed in British Sign Language and Spoken English at The Globe Theatre. “Definitely, I’d say, theatre for everyone.” The Guardian.
The productions will be available on the company’s YouTube channel here.
Archive Recording: What The Butler Saw from curvetheatre.
What the Butler Saw
Available Now
Dr Prentice (Rufus Hound– One Man, Two Guvnors, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), a psychiatric doctor in a private clinic, is attempting to interview – and seduce – would-be secretary Geraldine (Dakota Blue Richards – Curve’s A Streetcar Named Desire, The Golden Compass). Unwittingly surprised by his wife (Catherine Russell– Holby City, Curve’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest), he hides the girl. The affairs multiply as Mrs Prentice is seduced and blackmailed by young bellhop Nicholas Beckett (Jack Holden– RSC’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Oppenheimer and The Shoemaker’s Holiday), and promises him the secretarial post. When a government inspector arrives (Jasper Britton– The Libertine, RSC’s Richard II), closely followed by Sergeant Match (Ravi Aujla) who is in search of missing parts of Winston Churchill, chaos, cross-dressing and mistaken identity lead the charge.
Please note: this play contains explicit content and language some people may find offensive.
What the Butler Saw was Orton’s final play, completed just a month before his untimely death. This Made At Curve production, directed by Nikolai Foster, was performed 50 years since the death of the celebrated Leicester playwright.
Mushy: Lyrically Speaking
Available Now
Originally Produced by Rifco Theatre Company and Watford Palace Theatre.
Mushy, a young man with a debilitating stammer, finds himself at the centre of a television documentary. In a moment of inspiration from his teacher, Mr. Burton, he starts to find a rhythm in his voice through music. Social media erupts hailing it a miracle cure and both teacher and pupil become overnight celebrities.
But Mushy’s journey to find his voice has only just begun…
The Importance Of Being Earnest
Available Now
an archive recording of our 2016 Made at Curve and Birmingham Repertory Theatre co-production of Oscar Wilde’s classic play The Importance of Being Earnest with you for one week!
Memoirs of an Asian Football Casual
Available Now
Based of Riaz Khan’s autobiography and directed by Nikolai Foster, this gritty, spirited and colourful production. It’s a story which celebrates the unique spirit of Leicester and we felt now was an important moment to be reminded of this vibrancy.
Please be aware the following performances is suitable for ages 14+ and contains strong language, violence and instances of strobe lighting.
Wise Children
Available Now
Emma Rice’s smash-hit show will be available on BBC iPlayer for three months from Easter weekend.
A performance of Emma Rice’s ebullient theatrical production of Angela Carter’s deliciously dark final novel, Wise Children, filmed live at the York Theatre Royal in 2019.
A decadent and often surreal story of twins from a dysfunctional family who pursue a career performing as showgirls.
Loved by audiences and critics since its premiere at The Old Vic, London, in 2019, Wise Children is an unapologetic celebration of the highs and lows that come from choosing to experience life to the full, come what may.
The cast of the show includes Sam Archer (Young Peregrine), Ankur Bahl (Young Melchior), Stu Barker (The Band), Omari Douglas (Showgirl Nora), Mirabelle Gremaud (Young Nora), Alex Heane (The Band), Paul Hunter (Melchior Hazard), Melissa James (Showgirl Dora), Bettrys Jones (Young Dora), Patrycja Kujawska (Lady Atalanta/Wheelchair), Etta Murfitt (Nora Chance), Katy Owen (Grandma Chance), Ian Ross (Band Leader), Gareth Snook (Dora Chance) and Mike Shepherd (Peregrine Hazard).
The Way Out
Available Now
BBC Arts and Battersea Arts Centre have partnered to present The Way Out, a single-take film featuring Omid Djalili.
A surreal, theatrical adventure in which a young person escapes into a seemingly empty building at night, and meets a mysterious guide who offers them an alternative way out.
Filmed in Battersea Arts Centre, in one continuous, unbroken shot, this is an immersive journey through a labyrinth of rooms and corridors, propelled by performances from extraordinary artists.
Omid Djalili leads the journey as the enigmatic Guide. The Young Person is played by Bláithín Mac Gabhann, with performances by some of the most exciting, diverse artists working in the UK today: Lucy McCormick, Caleb Femi, Botis Seva, Le Gateau Chocolat, The Cocoa Butter Club, Sanah Ahsan, and Too Hot For Candy.
Directed by Suri Krishnamma and produced by Battersea Arts Centre, in partnership with Arts Council England and BBC Arts, as part of the Performance Live strand.
Hofesh Shechter | Clowns
Available Now
Hofesh Shechter’s Clowns is a dance film that plays out a macabre comedy of murder and desire, asking how far will we go in the name of entertainment. Directed, choreographed and composed by Hofesh Shechter, it combines bold, exhilarating and tribal movement by ten dancers with a percussive, cinematic score.
Hofesh Shechter’s Clowns was commissioned by the BBC as part of the Performance Live strand – a partnership between BBC Arts, Arts Council England and Battersea Arts Centre, showcasing some of the most exciting artists working in performance today. Produced by Hofesh Shechter Company and Illuminations.
Mischief Theatre
Available Now (all of 2020)
The Mischief collaboration might have stopped their live shows, but you can still catch their full The Goes Wrong Show series on iPlayer. The full rest of the year to catch it.
Getting Better Slowly
Available Now
The hit show has been made available online to raise money for the GAIN charity, which helps those affected by GBS, CIDP and the associated inflammatory neuropathies. Getting Better Slowly An inspiring story of illness and recovery Adam Pownall woke up to find his body was slowly shutting down. Unable to walk, talk or blink and nobody knew why… When Guillain Barré Syndrome affected Adam it caused full paralysis within days. Getting Better Slowly tells the story of his illness through a creative collision of new writing, verbatim accounts, sound and movement. How does it feel when your closest relationship is with the illness that’s holding you back?
Adam’s frank and moving account of how he dealt with GBS and the two years he spent recovering – including months spent learning how to walk and talk again – explores the relationship we all have with our bodies and our health. Telling his story with warmth, humour and honesty, and explaining how GBS is still part of his life, he invites audiences to consider how they would deal with an unexpected illness or accident affecting them or someone they love.
Getting Better Slowly premiered at the Lincoln Drill Hall in September 2016 ahead of a national tour. Performed by Adam Pownall & Kitty Randle.
International Online Theatre Festival
Available Now (until 15 May)
The IOTF: The International Online Theatre Festival is avaiable Digitally! Join them from 15 April to 15 May in celebrating theatre-making from across the world.
Wherever you are, you will be able to see a range of work from global artists and companies, as well renowned filmmakers who have turned to theatre as a mode through which to explore process, craftsmanship and performativity. This year’s festival features 25 productions from leading international companies including Reckless Sleepers, TR Warszawa, Stanislavsky Electrotheatre and the Schaubühne.
The Winter’s Tale
Available Now
The iconic theatre company Cheek By Jowel present The Winter’s Tale.
One of Shakespeare’s greatest plays, The Winter’s Tale, though written at the same period as The Tempest, smashes all the rules that The Tempest follows. Unity of time, place and action are hurled aside as we range across Europe, from court to country, from high tragedy to low comedy, across a time span of sixteen years.
The Winter’s Tale tells of a delusional and paranoid king who tears his family apart. But this is the new Shakespeare, after he completed his great tragedies, and the tough struggle for redemption yields flickers of hope. Initial darkness gives way to joy as Time leads the characters to a shattering conclusion…
Measure For Measure
Available Now
The iconic theatre company Cheek By Jowel present Measure For Measure.
With his unique brew of laughter and high seriousness, Shakespeare dissects the nature of government, love, and justice – asking unsettling questions about how we are governed, exploring the “complex relationships between those in power, and ordinary citizens” (Kristina Matvienko). (Run time 1hr 50min)
Measure for Measure has been nominated for five Golden Mask awards, including Best Large Scale Drama Production and Best Director for Declan Donnellan.
Only the Brave
Available Now
Only The Brave – the hit musical starring Caroline Sheen and David Thaxton, is available for free online. Based on the real lives of men and women caught up in the D-Day landings, the show tells the inspirational true story of two couples brought together by war, Captain John Howard (David Thaxton) and his wife Joy (Caroline), and Lieutenant Denham Brotheridge (Neil McDermott) and his wife Maggie (Emilie Fleming).
This rousing and original musical interweaves the soldier’s stories with that of their families and loved ones. Based on true events, Only The Brave evokes the camaraderie and bravery of the second world war generation.
Wasted
Available Now
The mega hit-making south London theatre has released three previous productions on its website, including the fantastic rock musical Wasted which is highly recommended and well worth the approximate 160 minutes.
Through the lens of a rock documentary, Wasted gives an access-all-areas account of the struggles, heartbreaks and triumphs of the three Brontë sisters Charlotte, Emily, Anne, and their brother Branwell. Brought up in a remote, poverty-stricken town in Yorkshire, without money or opportunity, they fought ill-health, unrequited love and family feuds to write some of the most celebrated literature including Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights.
Never afraid to rebel against expectations, the lives behind the pages expose a struggling, squabbling, ferociously driven, drug-fuelled crash and burn trajectory from obscurity to celebrity and ultimately to their untimely deaths. Coupled with a rock score from Christopher Ash (Showstoppers – Oliver Award winner for Best Entertainment), book and lyrics by Carl Miller (Emil and the Detectives, National Theatre), directed by Adam Lenson (Superhero – Off-West End Award for New Musical), the Brontës ask – was it all wasted?
This is the Brontës as you’ve never seen them before.
Please note that this production contains flashing lights and strobe effects, loud noises, strong language, and haze (which should be less of an issue as this is a stream but hey, a content warning’s a content warning!)
Romeo and Juliet (2009)
Available Now (until 3 May)
Shakespeare’s Globe will release 40 (yep, you read that right, 40) free titles over the next month, with six mainstage shows accompanied by 34 that were created as part of the venue’s epic “Globe to Globe” series of international performances.
A violent street brawl between their rival families is the prelude to Romeo’s first encounter with Juliet. Despite this, and the fact that Juliet has been promised to another man in marriage, they fall in love. But any plans for their future happiness are cruelly destroyed by renewed violence between the two families – and while the adults remain almost comically preoccupied with their own affairs, among their children a hidden tragedy begins to unfold.
Dominic Dromgoole’s production brings refreshing clarity to one of Shakespeare’s most famous and best-loved tragedies, drawing out the contemporary relevance of this passionate teenage love story.
Ellie Kendrick, a truly youthful Juliet, and Adetomiwa Edun, a boyish Romeo, head an excellent cast whose period costumes point to the timelessness of parental disapproval, adolescent temperament, rivalry and violence. (Running time 2hrs 50min)
The theatre has also released two shows on BBC iPlayer.
An Evening with Natalia Osipova (Valse Triste, Qutb, and Ave Maria)
Available Now (until 1 May)
Sadler’s Wells has put together a full-length programme of dance performances and workshops during lockdown. Sadler’s will use Facebook to stream a number of productions.
Revisit some of Natalia Osipova’s most captivating moments, showcasing the versatility, nuance and intensity of one of the world’s foremost ballet stars. This evening is made up of the “ravishing six-minute ballet” (New York Times) Valse Triste specially created for Osipova and American Ballet Theatre principal David Hallberg by Alexei Ratmansky, as well as the beautifully emotive Ave Maria by Japanese choreographer Yuka Oishi set to the music of Schubert. Both works originally featured in Pure Dance at Sadler’s Wells, a collection of seven classical & contemporary masterpieces, handpicked by Natalia.
The programme also features Qutb, a uniquely complex and intimate work by Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, which premiered in 2016.
Imitating the Dog
Available now
Imitating the Dog’s remake of the iconic Night of the Living Dead movie is a mindbending mix of true film and live stage performance – a truly remarkable event, a must for theatre and film lovers alike.
Seven performers aim to recreate on stage, in real time, one of the first zombie movies ever made, shot-for-shot before our very eyes, undertaking the seemingly impossible. With 1,076 camera edits to re-enact in 95 minutes it’s a heroic struggle. Success requires wit, skill and ingenuity, what could possibly go wrong?
Heart-racing, funny and packed with fear. Never tried before – and perhaps for good reason – this is an extraordinary night at the theatre.
In 1968 Night of the Living Dead started out as a low-budget independent horror movie. Now, 50 years on, the film is recognised as a ground-breaking classic. A story of fear and alienation, it is widely regarded as a metaphor for the social problems that gripped 1960s America and the collapse of the picket-fence American dream. Seven strangers take refuge from flesh eating ‘ghouls’ in an isolated farmhouse. As the night approaches its inevitable grisly conclusion, the flesh-eaters seem to have the upper hand and hope turns to despair. Will our brave performers complete their task and will we all make it out alive?
All shows can be seen on a Pay-What-You-Like basis, with Simon Wainwright, co-artistic director of imitating the dog saying: “With the end of our own Night of The Living Dead™ – Remix tour cancelled and so, so many events and performances now postponed we thought we’d make some of our past shows available for people to watch online.
“We’re in a lucky position to have some fantastic recordings of past work, mostly filmed by our friends Shot by Sodium. It’s obviously no substitute for the real thing but in these isolated days, and until we can get together in a room again, we hope these videos will provide joy, thinking and entertainment in equal measure.”
Told By An Idiot
Available now
The incredible company is putting up a new show every week to keep audiences entertained.
Top 10 Films that inspire the Idiots – We will be sharing a film a week that has left its mark on Told by an Idiot, and which we think is worth having a look at during these days of isolation
Digital Doctors Surgeries – the doctor is ready to discuss your devising dilemmas in cyberspace
Idiot Show Archive – your opportunity to see a different Idiot show each week
Thought by an Idiot – a collection of musings on theatre from our Artistic Director, Paul Hunter
The Trip – send us your recordings for the chance to be included in our short film.
It’s True, It’s True, It’s True
Available Now
Don’t miss out on your theatre trip: catch this gripping dramatisation of a 1612 rape trial by theatre company Breach.
This gripping dramatisation of a 1612 rape trial brought by the gifted painter Artemisia Gentileschi roars down the ages centuries after it shocked Renaissance Rome.
When Agostino Tassi, the pope’s favourite artist, was accused of raping 15-year-old Gentileschi, the ensuing seven-month case was widely publicised. It’s True, It’s True, It’s True interweaves jaw-dropping court transcripts with history, myth, contemporary insight and moments of satire to ask: how much has really changed? Filled with ire and using modern language, the devised show shines a spotlight on a remarkable woman who went on to triumph through her art.
With three female actors interchanging roles on a set that at times suggests a courtroom, at others an artist’s studio, the story is driven by a soundtrack that contrasts punk and baroque music. Including reenactments of Gentileschi’s celebrated biblical paintings, Breach’s visceral play has won Scotsman Fringe First and Stage Edinburgh Awards.It’s True, It’s True, It’s True is streaming online now until Sunday 17 May.
Henry V
Available Now
The Barn’s hit production with Aaron Sidwell and Lauren Samuels.
Henry IV is dead and Hal is King. With England in a state of unrest, he must leave his rebellious youth behind, striving to gain the respect of his nobility and people.
Gecko Theatre
Available Now
Gecko is an award-winning and internationally-acclaimed physical theatre company based in Ipswich, Suffolk and led by Artistic Director Amit Lahav. Beyond the stage, we aspire to open the doors on our process via every possible avenue, be it digital, in schools or through one-to-one relationships with our audience. This is why we’ve designed our YouTube channel to provide people with an insight into our creative process: Q&A’s with company members, behind the scenes exclusives and resources for teachers and students. Gecko’s education and outreach is a key aspect of the company’s work. We are currently listed as a prescribed practitioner on the AQA specification for AS and A-Level Drama, a suggested company on the International Baccalaureate Theatre course guide and have recently created a resource pack for OCR’s new AS and A-Level Theatre specification.
Institute – Watch it now
The Race – Watch it now
The Arab and the Jew – Watch it now
The Overcoat – Watch it now
Since U Been Gone
Available Now
Teddy Lamb’s hit five-star fringe show.
“He was a boy, she was a girl. Can I make it anymore binary?”
When friends die and pronouns change, what’s left of the memories that don’t fit anymore? From childhood co-stars, through teenage rebellion, a moving and powerful autobiographical account about growing up queer in the mid-noughties, finding yourself, and losing a friend. Brought to life with storytelling, an original pop music score and way too many America’s Next Top Model references.
The Met Opera
Weekly Programme
The Met Opera free Nightly Opera Streams continue with this week (27 Apr – 3 May) week of screenings that features Donizetti’s bel canto Tudor trilogy, a thrilling contemporary opera, and our first Viewers’ Choice classic telecast—Aida, starring Leontyne Price. Explore the articles and resources below to expand your knowledge and enhance your experience as you enjoy the streams.
A full schedule available here.
First Encounter | King Lear
Available Now
This edited version of King Lear was created specifically for younger audiences and played in schools across England as well as at the Park Avenue Armory in New York, where this film was made.
Timpson the Musical
Available Now
The hit Fringe production releases a full recording online!
Two warring house. One ancient grudge. A whole lot of shoes. Can the warring houses of Montashoe and Keypulet be united by a pair of star-crossed lovers? Journey to Victorian London where Monty Montashoe and Keeleigh Keypulet, two young inventors bursting with ambition, strive to break free from their humdrum lives and follow their dreams all the way to the 50th annual ‘Invention Convention’! Sponsored by Timpson Ltd. themselves, this five star, award-winning new musical explaining the origins of everyone’s favourite high street cobblers is guaranteed hilarity for the whole family.
Le Jardin, Le Salon, Le Sous Sol
Available Now
Peeping Tom – The best advice comes from this incredible Belgian arts company, “Let’s keep dancing during this coronavirus crisis!”
Le Sous Sol is the final part of Peeping Tom’s first trilogy that had started in 2002 with Le Jardin, followed by Le Salon in 2004. In Le Sous Sol, the members of the family encountered previously in the trilogy are now dead and buried, but live on underground. They find themselves in a strange world where social codes no longer exist; the family pecking order is ready to be turned upside down. Inspiration came from Dostojevski ‘s Bobok. The deceased characters talk about their death and ask themselves questions about the lives they have lived. The situational humour creates an important contrast. In this piece Peeping Tom brings the ancestors into play even more forcefully than before. An extraordinary addition is the collaboration with the 80-year-old butoh dancer Maria Otal.
Le Salon marks the second part of a trilogy that started with Le Jardin in 2002 and ended with Le Sous Sol in 2007. This piece shows the mental, physical and financial decay of what was once a wealthy family. The aristocratic grandfather, a cornerstone of the family, unconsciously drags his children along with him as he tries to keep up appearances. Set in a once opulent drawing room – now a symbolic glory hole – he slowly loses control of his house, his bladder and – ultimately – his mind. The househould he once led is now run by his offspring, who treat him as shabbily as they treat one another. Inspiration for Le Salon came from Le Salon de Musique from Satyajit Ray.
Le Jardin was Peeping Tom’s first creation for the stage. The performance is a diptych, comprising a film – made in an African nightclub in Brussels – and a piece of dance theatre. Le Jardin was created by Gabriela Carrizo, Franck Chartier and Simon Versnel and premiered on 13 June 2002 at Victoria (Ghent, BE). Between 2002 and 2008, the piece toured throughout Europe. Le Jardin was also the first part of a trilogy and was followed in 2004 by Le Salon and finally in 2007 by Le Sous Sol.
In Le Jardin, the most diverse and unusual characters immerse themselves in the nightlife, in a cabaret-like atmosphere. This dream or nightmare conjures up a world without barriers. Then comes the dance, and another reality begins. In the live performance three characters from the film return in a beautifully tended garden. Both the film and the performance highlight the value of the human form, the tragedy of wasted lives.
Le Jardin and live performances of Le Salon and Le Sous Sol – online for free until the end of the outbreak.
Cookies
Available Now
Inspired by the true experiences of students, Cookies explores the risks young people face online and how the effects can accumulate beyond control. Shedding light on sexting, revenge porn, cyber bullying, radicalization and more, Cookies illustrates the devastating effects of online abuse and the serious legal and lasting implications which thoughtless behaviour online can have.
Cookies, by award-winning playwright Emily Jenkins, was initially performed at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in October 2017, and the live filmed recording was released during Anti-Bullying Week 2017 to raise awareness and provoke classroom discussion on cyberbullying. It is available to be streamed directly into your classroom.
Alongside the filmed version of the play, teachers can access an extensive range of award-winning Drama Educational Resource Packs that align with the AQA GCSE & A Level Specifications.
Going Viral
Available Now
Going Viral – A new virus is sweeping the globe. A plague of weeping. Why do you seem to be immune? Daniel Bye has been creating exciting and thought-provoking work and putting it on his YouTube channel for years.
Myth: The Rise and Fall of Orpheus
Available Now
A play about the things we don’t want to see or say.
Sarah has news, but her partner, George, is too busy to listen. They’ve just bought their first home, but Sarah’s commute is now so long that she may as well turn around and head straight back to work. Worst of all, the local shop doesn’t even stock decent wine, let alone wine that’s been in the fridge. It’s a full-blown booze crisis.
But George has a surprise…. He’s invited Laura and Tom around for dinner. Sarah hasn’t seen Laura since behaving disgracefully at Laura’s daughter’s second birthday party and, as the wine flows, their civilised dinner party descends into drunken truths. Finally, the chaos of the world can’t be kept outside any longer.
Sarah has a big decision to make. Friendships come into question and their lives may be irreparably changed. Can they continue? Or is this the end?
Cyprus Avenue
Available Now
This is the first time David Ireland’s award-winning play starring Stephen Rea is available to watch internationally. Commissioned by The Space Arts, the film mixes live capture of performance from the iconic Royal Court Theatre stage production with location shooting in Belfast.
[Content Warning: Cyprus Avenue is recommended for anyone 18 . It contains strong language, discussion of sectarian themes and scenes of extreme violence that some viewers may find disturbing].
Institute
29 April
Physical theatre pros Gecko are making hit show Institute free online (7pm) for the first time ever, so don’t miss it.
Institute is a visually captivating, emotionally driven performance, which openly invites its audience to consider what it means to care.
Gecko has a reputation for generating unique worlds, exquisite stage craft and breath-taking choreography. Institute uses movement, imagery and a range of choreographic styles to further explore the complexity of human behaviour. As well as being visually captivating, Institute is extremely intimate and often very funny. An incisive dissection of the way we nurture and care for ourselves and each other.
Amit Lahav asked the company, what does it mean to care for one another in a busy world of high-pressure targets and expectations? What does it mean to lose everything and everyone? Where do you turn?
Four male performers portray four very familiar human beings, each driven by a desire to care and be cared for…
Crongton Knights
22 April to 9 May
The smash-hit Pilot Theatre show – Life isn’t easy on the Crongton Estate and for McKay and his mates it’s all about keeping their heads down but when a friend finds herself in trouble, they set out on a mission that goes further than any of them imagined.
Crongton Knights will take you on a night of madcap adventure as McKay and his friends ‘The Magnificent Six’ encounter the dangers and triumphs of a mission gone awry. In this world premiere adaptation of Alex Wheatle’s award-winning novel, the pulse of the city is alive on stage with a soundscape of beatboxing and vocals laid down by the cast and created by acclaimed musician Conrad Murray.
Crongton Knights is about the friends you’ll never forget and how lessons learned the hard way can bring you closer together.
Twelfth Night
23 to 30 April
The National Theatre has opened up its NT Live vault of shows it has filmed and broadcast to cinemas across the world. Every Thursday evening for the next two months, the theatre will stream a show from its archives, leaving it freely available for the next seven days on YouTube. Watch Twelfth Night, Shakespeare’s whirlwind comedy of mistaken identity and unrequited love, featuring Tamsin Greig as Malvolia (running time 2 hours / AD available).
#aiww: The Arrest of Ai Weiwei
27 April to 3 May
In association with The Guardian, the Hampstead Theatre. By Howard Brenton, based on Ai Weiwei’s account In Barnaby Martin’s book ‘Hanging Man’, directed by James Macdonald.
On 3 April 2011, as he was boarding a flight to Taipei, the Chinese Artist Ai Weiwei was arrested at Beijing Airport. Advised merely that his travel “could damage state security”, he was escorted to a van by officials after which he disappeared for 81 days. On his release, the government claimed that his imprisonment related to tax evasion.
Howard Brenton’s play is based on conversations with Ai in which he told the story of that imprisonment – by turns surreal, hilarious, and terrifying. A portrait of the Artist in extreme conditions, it is also an affirmation of the centrality of Art and of freedom of speech in civilised society. (Running time 2 hours)
Frankenstein
30 April to 7 May
From the National Theatre watch Danny Boyle’s monster hit Frankenstein with Benedict Cumberbatch as the creature and Jonny Lee Miller as Victor Frankenstein.
‘We have a massive capacity for love.’ Benedict Cumberbatch recorded a special message for fans, ahead of the National Theatre at Home stream of the timeless and thrilling stage show, Frankenstein. He alternates the role of Victor Frankenstein and the creature, with Jonny Lee Miller.
See full-length plays every Thursday.
The Midnight Gang
30 April to 29 May
Chichester Festival Theatre’s musical adaptation of David Walliams’ The Midnight Gang will be available for 30 days. Penned by Bryony Lavery with music and lyrics by Joe Stilgoe, the show opened in the autumn of 2018. The cast included Jennie Dale, Matthew Cavendish, Marilyn Cutts, Dickon Gough, Tim Mahendran and Lucy Vandi.
This inventive tale of fun, friendship and the importance of kindness, about a gang of children who each night escape from their hospital beds to make their dreams come true, is adapted from David Walliams’s biggest-selling children’s book of 2016.
Especially suitable for family audiences from ages 7 up. Why not build a film tent in our 30 Fun Things To Do When You’re Stuck Inside.
There’s an education pack available too. Created for pupils in school, but families are encouraged at home to use these exciting activities linked to The Midnight Gang. Before you watch, find out about the characters, themes and story, and why not try staging a scene from the show after you watch
The production is Captioned. Audio introductions will set the scene for blind and partially sighted.
Frankenstein
1 to 8 May
From the National Theatre see the cast swap roles with Jonny Lee Miller as the creature and Benedict Cumberbatch as Victor Frankenstein.
(See full-length plays every Thursday)
The Two Nobe Kingsmen (2018)
4 to 17 May
Shakespeare’s Globe will release 40 (yep, you read that right, 40) free titles over the next month, with six mainstage shows accompanied by 34 that were created as part of the venue’s epic “Globe to Globe” series of international performances.
The theatre has also released two shows on BBC iPlayer.
Macbeth (2018)
11 May until Schools Re-open
Shakespeare’s Globe will release 40 (yep, you read that right, 40) free titles over the next month, with six mainstage shows accompanied by 34 that were created as part of the venue’s epic “Globe to Globe” series of international performances.
During this time when both Shakespeare’s Globe and UK schools are temporarily closed, we are offering you ways to virtually-attend our theatre productions online for free.
For those watching Macbeth who would benefit from learning resources, this website will provide a range of engaging classroom activities that can be browsed below.
These resources reflect the National Curriculum for English and the Assessment Objectives for GCSE and A-Level English Literature. These pages will also give you a chance to glimpse behind the scenes and see how the director and the cast create the world of the play.
The theatre has also released two shows on BBC iPlayer.
The Winter’s Tale (2018)
18 to 31 May
Shakespeare’s Globe will release 40 (yep, you read that right, 40) free titles over the next month, with six mainstage shows accompanied by 34 that were created as part of the venue’s epic “Globe to Globe” series of international performances.
The theatre has also released two shows on BBC iPlayer.
Beauty and the Beast
21 May (for 30 days)
From 21 May, Anna Ledwich’s adaptation of Beauty and the Beast (with music and lyrics by Richard Taylor) will also be available for a month. The show originally ran in Chichester in 2017.
You may think you know the story of Beauty and the Beast but director Dale Rookshas a few surprises in store in this brand new version adapted from the original fairy tale by Anna Ledwich, with music and lyrics by Richard Taylor. Set designer Simon Higlett and costume designer Ryan Dawson Laight deliver a visually spectacular production.
A foolish prince cursed to a life alone in a castle; a kind and beautiful girl who asks her father for nothing but a rose. One must learn to love and be loved in return, the other needs to realise there’s more than meets the eye. It’s a tale of magic, compassion and love, full of enchanting characters, marvellous musical numbers and some deliciously scary moments, guaranteed to delight the whole family.
The production is Captioned. Audio introductions will set the scene for blind and partially sighted.
The Merry Wives of Windsor (2019)
1 to 14 June
Shakespeare’s Globe will release 40 (yep, you read that right, 40) free titles over the next month, with six mainstage shows accompanied by 34 that were created as part of the venue’s epic “Globe to Globe” series of international performances.
The theatre has also released two shows on BBC iPlayer.
A Midsummer NIght’s Dream (2013)
15 to 28 June
Shakespeare’s Globe will release 40 (yep, you read that right, 40) free titles over the next month, with six mainstage shows accompanied by 34 that were created as part of the venue’s epic “Globe to Globe” series of international performances.
The theatre has also released two shows on BBC iPlayer.
Blackpool Grand
Take a look at what’s on at Blackpool Grand Theatre this Autumn / Winter 20/21
Blackpool Grand set out a COVID-Community Communication Programme (CCCP) during the Coronavirus pandemic. Our aims were simple, to CONNECT, COMFORT and UPLIFT. We would Connect people by offering tutorials on communication tools like Zoom and conduct community face-to-face meetings (book readings, youth groups and more). Comfort through stories of heritage, memories and storytelling, and to Uplift visitors spirits through laughter and exercise. Please do enjoy and if you can afford to donate please do.
The information in this story is accurate as of the publication date. While we are attempting to keep our content as up-to-date as possible, the situation surrounding the coronavirus pandemic continues to develop rapidly, so it’s possible that some information and recommendations may have changed since publishing. For any concerns and latest advice around COVID-19, visit the World Health Organisation. If you’re in the UK, the National Health Service can also provide useful information and support, while US users can contact the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
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