If you want to see some real acting then this is a wonderful piece of video to seek out. Unfortunately you can’t buy it yet but with an ounce of initiative you will find it easily. It is readily available as a 1Gb AVI file and because it’s a home recording of a BBC Two television broadcast they probably won’t lock you up either. It looked fine on my 50-inch plasma. In time it will hopefully be released as a Blu-ray.
The program celebrates the 50th anniversary of the National Theatre of Great Britain. It brings together the best British actors for a unique evening of performances, broadcast live from London to cinemas around the world. A cast of 100 performed live on stage, directed by the National Theatre’s current Director Nicholas Hytner. The cast included Roger Allam, Simon Russell Beale, Benedict Cumberbatch, Frances de la Tour, Judi Dench, Christopher Eccleston, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Derek Jacobi, Alex Jennings, Rory Kinnear, Adrian Lester, Anna Maxwell Martin, Helen Mirren, Andrew Scott, Maggie Smith and Penelope Wilton.
The program covered productions from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead to The History Boys, from Antony and Cleopatra to Angels in America, from Guys and Dolls to London Road. It also included rare footage from the National Theatre archive.
2 hours 25 minutes of excellence. A rare treat indeed.
Nigel.
The program celebrates the 50th anniversary of the National Theatre of Great Britain. It brings together the best British actors for a unique evening of performances, broadcast live from London to cinemas around the world. A cast of 100 performed live on stage, directed by the National Theatre’s current Director Nicholas Hytner. The cast included Roger Allam, Simon Russell Beale, Benedict Cumberbatch, Frances de la Tour, Judi Dench, Christopher Eccleston, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Derek Jacobi, Alex Jennings, Rory Kinnear, Adrian Lester, Anna Maxwell Martin, Helen Mirren, Andrew Scott, Maggie Smith and Penelope Wilton.
The program covered productions from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead to The History Boys, from Antony and Cleopatra to Angels in America, from Guys and Dolls to London Road. It also included rare footage from the National Theatre archive.
2 hours 25 minutes of excellence. A rare treat indeed.
Nigel.
