James Corden's One Man, Two Guvnors among National Theatre shows to be available for free online
James Corden and Tamsin Greig are among the stars featuring in a series of free online National Theatre shows.
The Southbank venue is putting some of its biggest hits including Corden’s star turn in One Man, Two Guvnors on YouTube over the next two months.
It comes as theatres around the world go online in search of audiences after they were closed down in a bid to stop the spread of the Coronavirus.
The National Theatre at Home project will feature shows that were filmed to be shown in cinemas and starts next Thursday (April 2)with One Man, Two Guvnors.
The hit play was adapted by Richard Bean from an 18th century Italian comedy and updated the story to 1960s Brighton winning Corden a Tony Award for best actor in the process for his portrayal of a hapless our of work musician.
Others productions that will be shown online include adaptations of Jane Eyre and Treasure Island and Twelfth Night featuring Greig in the role of Malvolio.
Each production will be shown live on the theatre’s YouTube channel at 7pm on a Thursday and will then be available on demand for a week.
The theatre’s executive director Lisa Burger said they wanted to continue their work “through these difficult times”.
She said: “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 recreate, where possible, the communal viewing experience and we hope this will be an opportunity for people to share their enjoyment together online."
Theatres, galleries and museums have all seen a surge in online activity as audiences seek out entertainment while locked down.
The National will also broadcast discussions and cast and crew interviews as part of the project and is opening up recordings of other shows from its archives for free in a partnership with schools and colleges allowing pupils to study while stuck at home .
Read more
The best theatre, dance, comedy and classical music to stream online
