Coronavirus has devastated theatre programmes all around the world. However, some theatrical institutions are reacting to this by streaming filmed plays that belong to their repertoire.
The UK’s National Theatre is one of these entities that have embarked on going online and streaming their productions against a one-off payment or a subscription.
Although many of these have already been screened in cinemas and some were even streamed for free in these months of lockdown, the public is urged to make use of this service that will hopefully mitigate the disappointment of the theatre- goers who have been deprived of the actual theatre experience.
Productions to be streamed include Racine’s Phèdre starring Dame Helen Mirren and William Shakespeare’s Othello starring Adrian Lester and Rory Kinnear.
Dame Helen Mirren who stars in Racine’s Phèdre. Photo: Dominika Zarzycka /Nurphoto/Nurphoto via AFPThe service will also allow the viewing of works produced by the partner theatres of the National Theatre such as the Young Vic and the Donmar Warehouse. Therefore, such screenings as Shakespeare’s Corlianus, produced by the latter entity and starring Tom Hiddleston, will also feature in the lineup.
The service can be easily accessed through smart TV and mobile apps and new content will be added monthly. One is invited to pay an annual subscription of £100.
The newly transformed Olivier theatre should be physically opening on December 11 to a restricted audience for the staged National Theatre production of the pantomime Dick Whittington.
It is not in the ethos of this institution to stage pantomimes; this is only the second time that a pantomime has blessed a stage of this august entity, following the production of Cinderella back in 1983.
For more information, log on to https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/.