The productions are All's Well That Ends Well, starring Clare Higgins, on Oct. 1; with the stage version of Terry Pratchett's Nation, adapted by Mark Ravenhill, and Alan Bennett's new play The Habit of Art, starring Michael Gambon, Alex Jennings and Frances de la Tour, to follow early in 2010. Sponsorship is being provided by Travelex, the foreign exchange and business payments specialist, who already sponsor the annual £10 season in the theatre, in an arrangement that will continue until the conclusion of the current season in November 2009. The National already plan to continue the £10 season in April 2010.
In a press statement, Lloyd Dorfman, chairman of Travelex, said, "I am delighted that our partnership with the NT is evolving with this exciting international initiative. As a business it's important that our marketing activity reflects our position as a global brand. We have been immensely proud of the £10 Season over the past seven years; the time is right, as we continue to grow our global business, to keep the offer fresh and enhance our relationship with the National as NT Live extends its international footprint."
National's artistic director Nicholas Hytner added, "I am delighted that we're opening a new chapter in our relationship with Travelex. We've been thrilled by the response of cinemas around the world to this new experiment. It means we can reach tens of thousands of people in addition to our work in London and on tour. And it's entirely fitting that it's Travelex who, once again, are enabling us to make this innovation. The long-standing popularity of the £10 Seasons gives us the confidence to continue them as an indispensable part of the NT's programming."
NT Live performances will be filmed live at the National Theatre in high definition and broadcast via satellite to over 60 U.K. cinemas, reaching a widespread audience across the country. The National is working with the Picturehouse, Odeon, Vue and Cineworld chains and a range of independent cinemas and arts centres. Over 170 venues around the world will also screen the performance, supported by Travelex. In the U.S., screenings are currently planned in 13 states; in New York City, there will be screenings at the Brooklyn Academy of Music and at the Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center.
The plan is for the performance to be covered by multiple cameras, with the theatre audience acting as a studio audience, although the cameras will receive priority, with additional live and pre-recorded backstage material, inspired by New York's Metropolitan Opera House live broadcasts. For further details of venues and screenings, visit www.ntlive.com.
