The National Theatre today announces two new National Theatre Live productions set to join the upcoming season. The Motive and the Cue and Nye will be released to cinemas this spring, with the latter being the 100th National Theatre Live production since the programme’s inception in 2009. These productions join the current lineup of Dear England (released 25 January) and Vanya (released 22 February) and audiences can find their nearest screening at NTLive.com.
Sam Mendes (The Lehman Trilogy) directs Mark Gatiss as John Gielgud, Johnny Flynn as Richard Burton and Tuppence Middleton as Elizabeth Taylor in The Motive and the Cue, set to be released to cinemas worldwide from 21 March 2024. Written by Jack Thorne (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) with set design by Es Devlin (The Crucible), the play is inspired by the making of Richard Burton and Sir John Gielgud’s landmark Broadway production of Hamlet in 1964.
Originally commissioned by Neal Street Productions and developed and co-produced with the National Theatre, The Motive and the Cue is inspired by Letters from an Actor by William Redfield and John Gielgud Directs Richard Burton in Hamlet by Richard L. Sterne. Filmed live from its sold out run at the National Theatre in summer 2023, The Motive and the Cue is currently running in London’s West End at the Noel Coward Theatre until 23 March.
The 100th National Theatre Live production to release in cinemas will be the forthcoming premiere of Nye, a new play written by Tim Price and directed by Rufus Norris (Small Island), Director of the National Theatre. Michael Sheen plays Aneurin ‘Nye’ Bevan in this surreal and spectacular journey through the life and legacy of the man who transformed Britain’s welfare state and created the NHS. This epic new Welsh fantasia will be broadcast live from the National Theatre on 23 April 2024, with an audience made up of NHS charities, staff and healthcare students invited to the Southbank performance for free.
This co-production between the National Theatre and Wales Millennium Centre is playing in the Olivier theatre from 24 February until 11 May, after which it will transfer to the Wales Millennium Centre for a strictly limited run from 18 May until 1 June 2024.
For 15 years, National Theatre Live has been a pioneer in bringing the best of British theatre to communities around the world. Since the first screening in 2009 of Phèdre, the industry leading initiative has reached over 11 million people worldwide. National Theatre Live productions are regularly screened in over 2000 venues across 65 countries, creating communities of theatre lovers across the world, and bringing audiences together in powerful, shared, immersive experiences.
Rufus Norris, director of Nye, has said: "I am immensely proud to be at the helm of the 100th National Theatre Live production, Nye. As we celebrate this significant milestone, it's a testament to the enduring commitment of National Theatre Live in bringing world-class theatre to audiences far and wide. Collaboration lies at the heart of National Theatre Live's success, and Nye exemplifies this spirit through its co-production with Wales Millennium Centre. Here's to the next 100 productions and the continued celebration of the transformative power of theatre."
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