Audiences will have another way to enjoy the theatre from home while theatres remain dark, with the April 2 launch of National Theatre at Home, which will stream National Theatre Live productions for free on the National Theatre’s YouTube channel.
The inaugural broadcast will be Richard Bean’s One Man Two Guvnors, for which star James Corden took home a Tony Award upon its transfer to Broadway. Each production will screen every Thursday at 7 PM GMT/2 PM Eastern, then remain available for seven days. Additionally, the series will include Q&As with cast and creative teams, post-screening talkbacks, and more.
Already announced productions include Sally Cookson’s adaptation of Jane Eyre (April 9), Bryony Lavery’s adaptation of Treasure Island (April 16), and Tamsin Greig in Twelfth Night (April 23). Additional titles will be announced at a later date.
"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," Lisa Burger, Executive Director and Joint Chief Executive, said in a statement. "I'm thrilled that we’re able to fulfill 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 will be streaming each production at the same time each week in order to recreate, where possible, the communal viewing experience and we hope this will be an opportunity for people to share their enjoyment together online."
Additionally, online education resource the National Theatre Collection is now available to students and teachers at state schools and state-funded further education colleges while schools remained closed across the U.K. That access is in partnership with Bloomsbury Publishing.
Look Back at One Man, Two Guvnors Starring James Corden
