The National Theatre is joining the efforts to help the nation cope with life on lockdown during the current crisis by providing access to home-viewing content.
With people around the world confined to their homes, the NT is launching a new initiative National Theatre at Home – a programme of NT Live productions which will be made available to watch on YouTube free of charge over the next two months
Starting on 2 April 2020, a number of productions previously screened in cinemas as part of National Theatre Live will begin appearing on the NT’s YouTube Channel.
Each production will be free and screened live every Thursday at 7pm GMT and will then be available on demand for seven days. Alongside the streamed productions National Theatre at Home will also feature interactive content including Q&As with cast and creative teams and post-stream talks.
The first production will be Richard Bean’s One Man Two Guvnors featuring a Tony Award-winning performance from James Corden. Sally Cookson’s stage adaptation of Jane Eyre will follow on 9 April, with Bryony Lavery’s adaptation of Treasure Island on 16 April and Twelfth Night featuring Tamsin Greig on 23 April. Further titles and details of the programming will be announced at a later date.
Announcing the initiative, executive director and joint chief executive Lisa Burger: “Our ambition at the National Theatre is to create work which is challenging, entertaining and inspiring and we’re committed to continuing that through these difficult times. I’m thrilled that we’re able to fulfil this ambition in a different way through our collaboration with YouTube.
“I am exceptionally proud of the team at the National Theatre for working so hard to create National Theatre at Home and also to the rights holders who have been so supportive of this new initiative allowing us to bring theatre to households right across the world. We have delved into the National Theatre Live archive and curated a programme that’s varied from comedy to new dramas to classics so there is something for everyone to enjoy from their own homes. We will be streaming each production at the same time each week in order to re-create, where possible, the communal viewing experience and we hope this will be an opportunity for people to share their enjoyment together online.”
Christina Matteotti, head of music and culture partnerships, EMEA added: “During this incredibly difficult time, we are so glad that institutions like the National Theatre are using the platform to share treasured cultural content with the UK and global communities who are facing self-isolation. Bringing the comedic delight of One Man, Two Guvnors, the magic of shows like Twelfth Night, the mystery of Jane Eyre, and the adventure of Treasure Island to YouTube will be a ray of light during a very difficult time. Technology can bring the cultural and creative world inside your home. We look forward to seeing how National Theatre at Home on YouTube delights the community and provides a chance to continue to learn.”
Although National Theatre at Home is free of charge, anyone wishing to make a donation to help support the National Theatre through the current crisis can do so on the NT’s home page www.nationaltheatre.org.uk.
The National Theatre is currently closed to audiences and performances are currently not expected to resume before July.
Following the UK schools’ closure pupils studying at home will be able to access the National Theatre Collection remotely. The Collection includes high quality recordings of 24 world-class productions drawn from a decade of NT Live broadcasts and never-before-released productions from the NT archive. Now available free of charge to pupils and teachers at state schools and state-funded further education colleges, remote access to the resource is provided in partnership with Bloomsbury Publishing. Schools are now able to share log-in details with pupils studying at home.
Bloomsbury Publishing has also extended the free trial period for other academic institutions including universities until the end of May.
Alice King-Farlow, director of learning at the National Theatre said: “Given the unprecedented challenges we are all currently facing across the globe, we want to ensure that pupils, teachers and academic institutions are supported during this time and can continue to have access to a range of learning resources during the school closure period. The National Theatre Collection is an invaluable resource and, with thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing, we are able to open up access to pupils and teachers across the UK and ensure young people will be able to continue to explore world-class productions and all aspects of theatre-making.”
Angela Thomas
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