You will notice that our ticket booking system has a new look and a new procedure. This is an interim measure that will be in place until we roll out our new website later this year; our old website is now switched off. If you require any assistance with your online booking please try our Customer Service Centre on 020 7733 2229
Ava DuVernay brings her strength as a documentarian to this powerful Oscar-nominated dramatisation of America’s Civil Rights movement.
Opening with Martin Luther King (an impressively convincing David Oyelowo, THE BUTLER) collecting his Nobel Peace Prize, the film swiftly moves to the bombing of an Alabama church and the dignified attempts of a local resident (co-producer Oprah Winfrey) to register to vote.
As its title suggests, SELMA focuses on the city that King chose as pivotal to his efforts to persuade President Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) to grant voting rights for all, a battle that proved bitter and often bloody.
Carmen Ejogo as King’s equally determined wife Coretta Scott King, Tim Roth as racist governor George Wallace, and Cuba Gooding Jnr shine amongst an extensive, well-drawn cast of characters.
Contains moderate violence, racist language and infrequent strong language.
“Mr Grey will see you now.” This adaptation of the first novel in E. L. James’s 100 million-selling erotic trilogy must surely be one of the most feverishly anticipated films of the decade.
Student Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson, THE SOCIAL NETWORK) goes to interview billionaire businessman Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan, hitherto best known as the lethal Paul Spector in The Fall).
He is confident, smart, worldly and successful, but as Ana gradually comes to learn, he is tormented by personal demons. Their developing relationship takes Ana on a journey of exploration and discovery as she comes to understand his desire – and her own.
Directed by the artist Sam Taylor-Johnson (NOWHERE BOY), and scripted by Kelly Marcel (SAVING MR BANKS), this is a sensitive, stylish evocation of the mysteries of pleasure, with beautifully judged performances from the two leads.
Made in just eight weeks by renowned feminist director Kim Longinotto (GAEA GIRLS, SISTERS IN LAW), this ingenious plundering of the BFI and Yorkshire Film Archive reflects the progress of love, courtship and its consequences through the 20th century and beyond. Contains brief moderate sex, brief drug use and infrequent discriminatory language.
Grainy images from as early as 1898 gradually give way to dramatically lit and observed scenes from newsreels and documentaries featuring couples dancing, flirting, making out and marrying – as governed by the changing mores of the times, across all racial and gender landscapes.
Longinotto adeptly uses clips from feature films, especially 1929’s PICCADILLY, featuring Chinese-American femme fatale Anna May Wong brutally ending a forbidden affair – while expressive scenes from 1931’s HINDLE WAKES depict a doomed, socially strained romance.
Longinotto and her regular editor Ollie Huddlestone recruited Sheffield singer-songwriter Richard Hawley to provide the highly evocative soundtrack for this joyously absorbing work.
18.15Discover Tuesdays: Discover stunning cinema. Whether it's a cult classic, an art-house gem or a riveting documentary, there will always be a chance to see something different and brilliant in our weekly slot.
Ava DuVernay brings her strength as a documentarian to this powerful Oscar-nominated dramatisation of America’s Civil Rights movement.
Opening with Martin Luther King (an impressively convincing David Oyelowo, THE BUTLER) collecting his Nobel Peace Prize, the film swiftly moves to the bombing of an Alabama church and the dignified attempts of a local resident (co-producer Oprah Winfrey) to register to vote.
As its title suggests, SELMA focuses on the city that King chose as pivotal to his efforts to persuade President Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) to grant voting rights for all, a battle that proved bitter and often bloody.
Carmen Ejogo as King’s equally determined wife Coretta Scott King, Tim Roth as racist governor George Wallace, and Cuba Gooding Jnr shine amongst an extensive, well-drawn cast of characters.
Contains moderate violence, racist language and infrequent strong language.
On the heels of her triumphant Met performances as Tatiana in Eugene Onegin, soprano Anna Netrebko takes on another Tchaikovsky heroine in the first opera of this intriguing double bill, consisting of an enchanting fairy tale (Iolanta) followed by an erotic psychological thriller (Bluebeard"s Castle). Netrebko stars as the beautiful blind girl who experiences love for the first time in Iolanta, while Nadja Michael is the unwitting victim of the diabolical Bluebeard, played by Mikhail Petrenko. Both operas are directed by Mariusz Trelinski, who was inspired by classic noir films of the 1940s. Iolanta also stars Piotr Beczala, and Maestro Valery Gergiev conducts both operas. Co-production of the Metropolitan Opera and Teatr Wielki-Polish National Opera.
“Mr Grey will see you now.” This adaptation of the first novel in E. L. James’s 100 million-selling erotic trilogy must surely be one of the most feverishly anticipated films of the decade.
Student Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson, THE SOCIAL NETWORK) goes to interview billionaire businessman Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan, hitherto best known as the lethal Paul Spector in The Fall).
He is confident, smart, worldly and successful, but as Ana gradually comes to learn, he is tormented by personal demons. Their developing relationship takes Ana on a journey of exploration and discovery as she comes to understand his desire – and her own.
Directed by the artist Sam Taylor-Johnson (NOWHERE BOY), and scripted by Kelly Marcel (SAVING MR BANKS), this is a sensitive, stylish evocation of the mysteries of pleasure, with beautifully judged performances from the two leads.
Ava DuVernay brings her strength as a documentarian to this powerful Oscar-nominated dramatisation of America’s Civil Rights movement.
Opening with Martin Luther King (an impressively convincing David Oyelowo, THE BUTLER) collecting his Nobel Peace Prize, the film swiftly moves to the bombing of an Alabama church and the dignified attempts of a local resident (co-producer Oprah Winfrey) to register to vote.
As its title suggests, SELMA focuses on the city that King chose as pivotal to his efforts to persuade President Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) to grant voting rights for all, a battle that proved bitter and often bloody.
Carmen Ejogo as King’s equally determined wife Coretta Scott King, Tim Roth as racist governor George Wallace, and Cuba Gooding Jnr shine amongst an extensive, well-drawn cast of characters.
Contains moderate violence, racist language and infrequent strong language.
Robert Louis Stevenson’s story of murder, money and mutiny is brought to life in a thrilling new stage adaptation by Bryony Lavery, broadcast live from the National Theatre.
It’s a dark, stormy night. The stars are out. Jim, the innkeeper’s granddaughter, opens the door to a terrifying stranger. At the old sailor’s feet sits a huge sea-chest, full of secrets. Jim invites him in – and her dangerous voyage begins.
Suitable for ages 10+
“Mr Grey will see you now.” This adaptation of the first novel in E. L. James’s 100 million-selling erotic trilogy must surely be one of the most feverishly anticipated films of the decade.
Student Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson, THE SOCIAL NETWORK) goes to interview billionaire businessman Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan, hitherto best known as the lethal Paul Spector in The Fall).
He is confident, smart, worldly and successful, but as Ana gradually comes to learn, he is tormented by personal demons. Their developing relationship takes Ana on a journey of exploration and discovery as she comes to understand his desire – and her own.
Directed by the artist Sam Taylor-Johnson (NOWHERE BOY), and scripted by Kelly Marcel (SAVING MR BANKS), this is a sensitive, stylish evocation of the mysteries of pleasure, with beautifully judged performances from the two leads.
Ava DuVernay brings her strength as a documentarian to this powerful Oscar-nominated dramatisation of America’s Civil Rights movement.
Opening with Martin Luther King (an impressively convincing David Oyelowo, THE BUTLER) collecting his Nobel Peace Prize, the film swiftly moves to the bombing of an Alabama church and the dignified attempts of a local resident (co-producer Oprah Winfrey) to register to vote.
As its title suggests, SELMA focuses on the city that King chose as pivotal to his efforts to persuade President Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) to grant voting rights for all, a battle that proved bitter and often bloody.
Carmen Ejogo as King’s equally determined wife Coretta Scott King, Tim Roth as racist governor George Wallace, and Cuba Gooding Jnr shine amongst an extensive, well-drawn cast of characters.
Contains moderate violence, racist language and infrequent strong language.
“Mr Grey will see you now.” This adaptation of the first novel in E. L. James’s 100 million-selling erotic trilogy must surely be one of the most feverishly anticipated films of the decade.
Student Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson, THE SOCIAL NETWORK) goes to interview billionaire businessman Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan, hitherto best known as the lethal Paul Spector in The Fall).
He is confident, smart, worldly and successful, but as Ana gradually comes to learn, he is tormented by personal demons. Their developing relationship takes Ana on a journey of exploration and discovery as she comes to understand his desire – and her own.
Directed by the artist Sam Taylor-Johnson (NOWHERE BOY), and scripted by Kelly Marcel (SAVING MR BANKS), this is a sensitive, stylish evocation of the mysteries of pleasure, with beautifully judged performances from the two leads.
No stranger to episodic filmmaking, Richard Linklater (BEFORE SUNRISE, BEFORE SUNSET, BEFORE MIDNIGHT) succeeds brilliantly in following a boy’s life from the ages of six to 18, shooting periodically over 12 years. Ellar Coltrane plays Mason, the son of Mason Snr and Olivia (Linklater regulars Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette). As his divorced parents find new partners of varying suitability, Mason Jnr faces emotional and physical uncertainties with growing maturity. Whether he’s squabbling with his older sister Samantha (Lorelei Linklater, the director’s daughter), arguing STAR WARS lore with his dad, or having his heart broken by an out-of-his-league first love, the film renders the apparently commonplace both unfamiliar and compelling. And while the changes Mason and Samantha undergo are obvious, they’re subtly matched by those of their parents in this unique collaborative feat.
A charming new animated version of Julia Donaldson and Axel Sheffler's magical tale of a kind witch who invites a surprising collection of animals to join her on her broom, much to the frustration of her loyal cat. The gang ultimately saves the witch from a fearsome dragon, and in gratitude she rewards them all with a magnificent new broom which has room for everyone.
A young orphan nicknamed Eggs (voiced by Hempstead Wright, Game of Thrones’ Bran Stark) lives with a cheerful bunch of rubbish-collecting creatures, the Boxtrolls, in secret caverns beneath the streets of Cheesebridge. When the heinous local exterminator, Archibald Snatcher (Kingsley), plots to rid the town of Boxtrolls, Eggs bravely ventures above ground in order to try to save them. In doing so he recruits the feisty young Winnie (Fanning). Based on the bestselling children’s novel Here Be Monsters! by Alan Snow, the pair’s adventures unfold in richly colourful and entertaining stop-motion animation by the creators of CORALINE and PARANORMAN. Also on board are Toni Collete and Simon Pegg as Winnie’s posh parents, the Portley-Rinds.
Will Smith stars as Nicky, a seasoned master of misdirection who becomes romantically involved with novice con artist Jess (Margot Robbie). As he"s teaching her the tricks of the trade, she gets too close for comfort and he abruptly breaks it off. Three years later, the former flame--now an accomplished femme fatale--shows up in Buenos Aires in the middle of the high stakes racecar circuit. In the midst of Nicky"s latest, very dangerous scheme, she throws his plans for a loop...and the consummate con man off his game. "Focus" is written and directed by Glenn Ficarra & John Requa ("Crazy, Stupid, Love."). Denise Di Novi ("Crazy, Stupid, Love.") is the producer, with Charlie Gogolak and Stan Wlodkowski serving as executive producers. The cast is headed by Oscar nominee Will Smith ("The Pursuit of Happyness," "Ali,"), Margot Robbie ("The Wolf of Wall Street"), Rodrigo Santoro (the "300" films) and Gerald McRaney (TV"s "House of Cards"). The behind-the-scenes team includes director of phot
Wagner’s first masterpiece explores the themes of damnation and redemption that would fascinate the composer throughout his career. In this tale of a captain forced to sail the seas for eternity unless released by the faithful love of a good woman, and the lonely girl who longs to save him, Wagner created two unforgettable characters operating near the limits of human emotion.
Tim Albery’s atmospheric 2009 modern-dress staging provides an ideal platform on which Bryn Terfel’s turbulent Dutchman and Adrianne Pieczonka’s visionary Senta will explore their passions and struggle to find salvation in a hostile world. Admired for his Wagner interpretations with the CBSO and at Bayreuth, Andris Nelsons returns to steer the orchestra through Wagner’s stormy score.
Middle-aged, middle-class divorcee Judith (Tessa Peake-Jones) is horrified when her daughter, Lily (Eleanor Wyld), abandons law school for a suburban commune based on the behavioural traits of bonobo apes, not least because it seems that all their problems are solved by having lots of sex.
Having failed to persuade Lily to reconsider, Judith is invited by the group’s leader (Josie Lawrence) to spend a weekend there and judge the community and its methods for herself, and she undergoes a damascene conversion – of sorts.
This unusual comedy drama is the debut feature from director Matthew Hammett Knott and his co-writer Joanna Benecke, and is a small masterpiece of economic filmmaking that boasts understated and warmly compassionate performances from its talented ensemble cast.
18.00Discover Tuesdays: Discover stunning cinema. Whether it's a cult classic, an art-house gem or a riveting documentary, there will always be a chance to see something different and brilliant in our weekly slot.
In this sequel to 2011’s smash-hit grown-up romcom, the Marigold’s co-manager Sonny (Dev Patel) plans to open a second, rather more luxurious hotel, but his impending marriage to the feisty Sunaina (Tena Desae) and the unexpected arrival of guests Lavinia (Tamsin Greig) and Guy (Gere) – who may or may not be hotel inspectors – prove added strains.
Meanwhile, permanent residents and hopeless romantics Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Celia Imrie and Ronald Pickup pursue their own ambitions, both in the original hotel and amid the seething humanity of Jaipur, all under the watchful eye of Muriel (Smith), the keeper of everyone’s secrets.
Numerous intriguing subplots build up to the vibrant wedding ceremony and Lavinia and Guy’s startling revelations, making for a splendid entertainment courtesy of a top-notch ensemble cast.
In this sequel to 2011’s smash-hit grown-up romcom, the Marigold’s co-manager Sonny (Dev Patel) plans to open a second, rather more luxurious hotel, but his impending marriage to the feisty Sunaina (Tena Desae) and the unexpected arrival of guests Lavinia (Tamsin Greig) and Guy (Gere) – who may or may not be hotel inspectors – prove added strains.
Meanwhile, permanent residents and hopeless romantics Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Celia Imrie and Ronald Pickup pursue their own ambitions, both in the original hotel and amid the seething humanity of Jaipur, all under the watchful eye of Muriel (Smith), the keeper of everyone’s secrets.
Numerous intriguing subplots build up to the vibrant wedding ceremony and Lavinia and Guy’s startling revelations, making for a splendid entertainment courtesy of a top-notch ensemble cast.
In this sequel to 2011’s smash-hit grown-up romcom, the Marigold’s co-manager Sonny (Dev Patel) plans to open a second, rather more luxurious hotel, but his impending marriage to the feisty Sunaina (Tena Desae) and the unexpected arrival of guests Lavinia (Tamsin Greig) and Guy (Gere) – who may or may not be hotel inspectors – prove added strains.
Meanwhile, permanent residents and hopeless romantics Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Celia Imrie and Ronald Pickup pursue their own ambitions, both in the original hotel and amid the seething humanity of Jaipur, all under the watchful eye of Muriel (Smith), the keeper of everyone’s secrets.
Numerous intriguing subplots build up to the vibrant wedding ceremony and Lavinia and Guy’s startling revelations, making for a splendid entertainment courtesy of a top-notch ensemble cast.
In this sequel to 2011’s smash-hit grown-up romcom, the Marigold’s co-manager Sonny (Dev Patel) plans to open a second, rather more luxurious hotel, but his impending marriage to the feisty Sunaina (Tena Desae) and the unexpected arrival of guests Lavinia (Tamsin Greig) and Guy (Gere) – who may or may not be hotel inspectors – prove added strains.
Meanwhile, permanent residents and hopeless romantics Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Celia Imrie and Ronald Pickup pursue their own ambitions, both in the original hotel and amid the seething humanity of Jaipur, all under the watchful eye of Muriel (Smith), the keeper of everyone’s secrets.
Numerous intriguing subplots build up to the vibrant wedding ceremony and Lavinia and Guy’s startling revelations, making for a splendid entertainment courtesy of a top-notch ensemble cast.
In this sequel to 2011’s smash-hit grown-up romcom, the Marigold’s co-manager Sonny (Dev Patel) plans to open a second, rather more luxurious hotel, but his impending marriage to the feisty Sunaina (Tena Desae) and the unexpected arrival of guests Lavinia (Tamsin Greig) and Guy (Gere) – who may or may not be hotel inspectors – prove added strains.
Meanwhile, permanent residents and hopeless romantics Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Celia Imrie and Ronald Pickup pursue their own ambitions, both in the original hotel and amid the seething humanity of Jaipur, all under the watchful eye of Muriel (Smith), the keeper of everyone’s secrets.
Numerous intriguing subplots build up to the vibrant wedding ceremony and Lavinia and Guy’s startling revelations, making for a splendid entertainment courtesy of a top-notch ensemble cast.
Wagner’s first masterpiece explores the themes of damnation and redemption that would fascinate the composer throughout his career. In this tale of a captain forced to sail the seas for eternity unless released by the faithful love of a good woman, and the lonely girl who longs to save him, Wagner created two unforgettable characters operating near the limits of human emotion.
Tim Albery’s atmospheric 2009 modern-dress staging provides an ideal platform on which Bryn Terfel’s turbulent Dutchman and Adrianne Pieczonka’s visionary Senta will explore their passions and struggle to find salvation in a hostile world. Admired for his Wagner interpretations with the CBSO and at Bayreuth, Andris Nelsons returns to steer the orchestra through Wagner’s stormy score.
Girl with a Pearl Earring and other treasures of the Mauritshuis, the Netherlands
After two years on a blockbuster world tour, Girl with a Pearl Earring has returned home to the much-loved Mauritshuis gallery in The Hague.
The enduring appeal of this masterpiece is indisputable. The beautifully filmed documentary goes in pursuit of the many unsolved riddles surrounding it and its mysterious creator, Vermeer. Who was the girl? Why and how was she painted? Why is the picture so revered?
In this sequel to 2011’s smash-hit grown-up romcom, the Marigold’s co-manager Sonny (Dev Patel) plans to open a second, rather more luxurious hotel, but his impending marriage to the feisty Sunaina (Tena Desae) and the unexpected arrival of guests Lavinia (Tamsin Greig) and Guy (Gere) – who may or may not be hotel inspectors – prove added strains.
Meanwhile, permanent residents and hopeless romantics Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Celia Imrie and Ronald Pickup pursue their own ambitions, both in the original hotel and amid the seething humanity of Jaipur, all under the watchful eye of Muriel (Smith), the keeper of everyone’s secrets.
Numerous intriguing subplots build up to the vibrant wedding ceremony and Lavinia and Guy’s startling revelations, making for a splendid entertainment courtesy of a top-notch ensemble cast.
In this sequel to 2011’s smash-hit grown-up romcom, the Marigold’s co-manager Sonny (Dev Patel) plans to open a second, rather more luxurious hotel, but his impending marriage to the feisty Sunaina (Tena Desae) and the unexpected arrival of guests Lavinia (Tamsin Greig) and Guy (Gere) – who may or may not be hotel inspectors – prove added strains.
Meanwhile, permanent residents and hopeless romantics Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Celia Imrie and Ronald Pickup pursue their own ambitions, both in the original hotel and amid the seething humanity of Jaipur, all under the watchful eye of Muriel (Smith), the keeper of everyone’s secrets.
Numerous intriguing subplots build up to the vibrant wedding ceremony and Lavinia and Guy’s startling revelations, making for a splendid entertainment courtesy of a top-notch ensemble cast.
Autumn 1918. A group of soldiers return from the trenches. The world-weary Benedick and his friend Claudio find themselves reacquainted with Beatrice and Hero. As memories of conflict give way to a life of parties and masked balls, Claudio and Hero fall madly, deeply in love, while Benedick and Beatrice reignite their own altogether more combative courtship.
In this sequel to 2011’s smash-hit grown-up romcom, the Marigold’s co-manager Sonny (Dev Patel) plans to open a second, rather more luxurious hotel, but his impending marriage to the feisty Sunaina (Tena Desae) and the unexpected arrival of guests Lavinia (Tamsin Greig) and Guy (Gere) – who may or may not be hotel inspectors – prove added strains.
Meanwhile, permanent residents and hopeless romantics Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Celia Imrie and Ronald Pickup pursue their own ambitions, both in the original hotel and amid the seething humanity of Jaipur, all under the watchful eye of Muriel (Smith), the keeper of everyone’s secrets.
Numerous intriguing subplots build up to the vibrant wedding ceremony and Lavinia and Guy’s startling revelations, making for a splendid entertainment courtesy of a top-notch ensemble cast.
Autumn 1918. A group of soldiers return from the trenches. The world-weary Benedick and his friend Claudio find themselves reacquainted with Beatrice and Hero. As memories of conflict give way to a life of parties and masked balls, Claudio and Hero fall madly, deeply in love, while Benedick and Beatrice reignite their own altogether more combative courtship.
Captured Live in 2013
To Prince Escalus' dismay, the rivalry between the Capulets and Montagues brings bloodshed to the city of Verona.
Romeo, heir of the Montagues, is distraught because his love for Rosaline is not requited. To console him, his friend Mercutio persuades him to attend the ball that Capulet has organised to find suitors for his daughter Juliet.
Romeo attends the ball incognito. When he meets Juliet, the two fall instantly in love. They are overwhelmed when they discover they belong to two rival families.
A stunning production of Verdi’s masterpiece, which reaches to the heart of the opera’s themes of passionate love and tragic death. This production is ideal for newcomers to opera, with a contemporary staging and a running time of less than two hours.
Meera Syal returns to the National Theatre, directed by Rufus Norris (BROKEN, London Road).
Pulitzer Prize winner Katherine Boo spent three years in Annawadi recording the lives of its residents. From her uncompromising book, winner of the National Book Award for Non-Fiction 2012, David Hare has fashioned a tumultuous play on an epic scale. Beyond the luxury hotels surrounding Mumbai airport lies a makeshift slum, full of people with plans of their own.
Zehrunisa and her son Abdul aim to recycle enough rubbish to fund a proper house. Sunil, 12 and stunted, wants to eat until he’s as tall as Kalu the thief. Asha seeks to steal government anti-poverty funds to turn herself into a ‘first-class person’, while her daughter Manju intends to become the slum’s first female graduate. But their schemes are fragile; global recession threatens the garbage trade, and another slum-dweller is about to make an accusation that will shatter the neighbourhood.
Joyce DiDonato and Juan Diego Florez join forces for this Rossini showcase of bel canto virtuosity, set in the medieval Scottish highlands. DiDonato is the 'lady of the lake' of the title, and Florez is the king who relentlessly pursues her, with their vocal fireworks embellishing the tragic plot. This Met premiere production is directed by Paul Curran and conducted by Michele Mariotti. Co-production of the Metropolitan Opera and the Santa Fe Opera.
Joyce DiDonato and Juan Diego Florez join forces for this Rossini showcase of bel canto virtuosity, set in the medieval Scottish highlands. DiDonato is the "lady of the lake" of the title, and Florez is the king who relentlessly pursues her, with their vocal fireworks embellishing the tragic plot. This Met premiere production is directed by Paul Curran and conducted by Michele Mariotti. Co-production of the Metropolitan Opera and the Santa Fe Opera.
From its sell-out run at Manchester's Royal Exchange Theatre comes this unique and critically acclaimed production of Shakespeare's tragic Hamlet.
In this stripped-back, fresh and fast-paced version, BAFTA nominee Maxine Peake creates a Hamlet for now, giving a performance hailed as "delicately ferocious" by the Guardian and "a milestone Hamlet" by the Manchester Evening News.
Hamlet is Shakespeare’s most iconic work. The play explodes with big ideas and is the ultimate story of loyalty, love, betrayal, murder and madness.
Hamlet's father is dead and Denmark has crowned a new king. Consumed by grief, Hamlet struggles to exact revenge, with devastating consequences.
This groundbreaking stage production, directed by Sarah Frankcom, was the Royal Exchange’s fastest-selling show in a decade. Alongside Maxine Peake as the eponymous prince, a number of other roles, including Polonius and Rosencrantz, are also played by women.
Hamlet is brought to cinemas by director Margaret Williams, whose Written on Skin for the Royal Opera House/BBC won the Gramophone Contemporary Award and the Diapason d’Or, and producers Anne Beresford and Debbie Gray, the team behind the highly successful cinema broadcast of Peter Grimes on Aldeburgh Beach.
Meera Syal returns to the National Theatre, directed by Rufus Norris (BROKEN, LONDON ROAD).
Pulitzer Prize winner Katherine Boo spent three years in Annawadi recording the lives of its residents. From her uncompromising book, winner of the National Book Award for Non-Fiction 2012, David Hare has fashioned a tumultuous play on an epic scale. Beyond the luxury hotels surrounding Mumbai airport lies a makeshift slum, full of people with plans of their own.
Zehrunisa and her son Abdul aim to recycle enough rubbish to fund a proper house. Sunil, 12 and stunted, wants to eat until he’s as tall as Kalu the thief. Asha seeks to steal government anti-poverty funds to turn herself into a ‘first-class person’, while her daughter Manju intends to become the slum’s first female graduate. But their schemes are fragile; global recession threatens the garbage trade, and another slum-dweller is about to make an accusation that will shatter the neighbourhood.
Don’t miss a stellar cast led by Mark Strong (THE IMITATION GAME, TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY) in the Young Vic’s "magnetic, electrifying, astonishingly bold" production of A View from the Bridge – the Evening Standard, Guardian and Independent’s top theatre pick of 2014.
The great Arthur Miller confronts the American Dream in this dark and passionate tale. In Brooklyn, longshoreman Eddie Carbone welcomes his Sicilian cousins to the land of freedom. But when one of them falls for his beautiful niece, they discover that freedom comes at a price. Eddie’s jealous mistrust exposes a deep, unspeakable secret – one that drives him to commit the ultimate betrayal.
The visionary Ivo van Hove directs this stunning production of Miller’s tragic masterpiece, broadcast from London’s West End by National Theatre Live.
A major work from the remarkable partnership of playwright and poet Bertolt Brecht and composer Kurt Weill, Mahagonny was first performed in Leipzig in 1930. Its first ever Royal Opera staging, by Associate Director of Opera John Fulljames, is sung in English, and conducted by Mark Wigglesworth – recently announced as the successor to Edward Gardner as Music Director of English National Opera.
Mahagonny is a satire on money, morality and pleasure-seeking among the dubious citizens of a fictional city. The richly varied, jazz-infused score, influenced by ragtime music, includes such irresistible melodies as the ‘Alabama Song’ and many dramatic ensembles.
The superb cast includes Kurt Streit as the wild lumberjack Jimmy, Christine Rice as his sweetheart Jenny, Anne Sofie von Otter in a welcome return to The Royal Opera as the cunning Leokadja Begbick, and Peter Hoare and Willard W. White as her helpers and fellow-fugitives Fatty and Moses.
A major work from the remarkable partnership of playwright and poet Bertolt Brecht and composer Kurt Weill, Mahagonny was first performed in Leipzig in 1930. Its first ever Royal Opera staging, by Associate Director of Opera John Fulljames, is sung in English, and conducted by Mark Wigglesworth – recently announced as the successor to Edward Gardner as Music Director of English National Opera.
Mahagonny is a satire on money, morality and pleasure-seeking among the dubious citizens of a fictional city. The richly varied, jazz-infused score, influenced by ragtime music, includes such irresistible melodies as the ‘Alabama Song’ and many dramatic ensembles.
The superb cast includes Kurt Streit as the wild lumberjack Jimmy, Christine Rice as his sweetheart Jenny, Anne Sofie von Otter in a welcome return to The Royal Opera as the cunning Leokadja Begbick, and Peter Hoare and Willard W. White as her helpers and fellow-fugitives Fatty and Moses.
From its sell-out run at Manchester's Royal Exchange Theatre comes this unique and critically acclaimed production of Shakespeare's tragic Hamlet.
In this stripped-back, fresh and fast-paced version, BAFTA nominee Maxine Peake creates a Hamlet for now, giving a performance hailed as "delicately ferocious" by the Guardian and "a milestone Hamlet" by the Manchester Evening News.
Hamlet is Shakespeare’s most iconic work. The play explodes with big ideas and is the ultimate story of loyalty, love, betrayal, murder and madness.
Hamlet's father is dead and Denmark has crowned a new king. Consumed by grief, Hamlet struggles to exact revenge, with devastating consequences.
This groundbreaking stage production, directed by Sarah Frankcom, was the Royal Exchange’s fastest-selling show in a decade. Alongside Maxine Peake as the eponymous prince, a number of other roles, including Polonius and Rosencrantz, are also played by women.
Hamlet is brought to cinemas by director Margaret Williams, whose Written on Skin for the Royal Opera House/BBC won the Gramophone Contemporary Award and the Diapason d’Or, and producers Anne Beresford and Debbie Gray, the team behind the highly successful cinema broadcast of Peter Grimes on Aldeburgh Beach.
Tom Stoppard returns to the National Theatre with his highly anticipated new play The Hard Problem, directed by Nicholas Hytner.
Hilary, a young psychology researcher at a brain-science institute, is nursing a private sorrow and a troubling question at work, where psychology and biology meet. If there is nothing but matter, what is consciousness? This is ‘the hard problem’ which puts Hilary at odds with her colleagues, who include Spike, her first mentor; Leo, her boss; and Jerry, the billionaire founder of the institute. Is the day coming when the computer and the fMRI scanner will answer all the questions psychology can ask? But meanwhile, Hilary needs a miracle – and she is prepared to pray for one.
Vincent Van Gogh: A New Way of Seeing. From the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam.
Enjoying complete and unprecedented access to the treasures of Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum, this brilliant film marks both a major reshowing of the gallery’s collection and the 125th anniversary of Van Gogh’s death. Experience the wonder of these masterpieces on the big screen while specially invited guests, including world-renowned curators and art historians, offer their interpretations and explanations, including exclusive new research that has made incredible discoveries. Not to be missed.
Tom Stoppard returns to the National Theatre with his highly anticipated new play The Hard Problem, directed by Nicholas Hytner.
Hilary, a young psychology researcher at a brain-science institute, is nursing a private sorrow and a troubling question at work, where psychology and biology meet. If there is nothing but matter, what is consciousness? This is ‘the hard problem’ which puts Hilary at odds with her colleagues, who include Spike, her first mentor; Leo, her boss; and Jerry, the billionaire founder of the institute. Is the day coming when the computer and the fMRI scanner will answer all the questions psychology can ask? But meanwhile, Hilary needs a miracle – and she is prepared to pray for one.
Opera’s most enduring tragic double bill returns in an evocative new production from Sir David McVicar, who sets the action in two different time periods in the same Sicilian village.
Marcelo Álvarez rises to the challenge of playing the dual tenor roles of Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana and Canio in Pagliacci. Rae Smith (War Horse) has designed the moodily atmospheric 1900 village square setting of Cavalleria, which transforms into a 1948 truck stop for the doomed vaudeville troupe of Pagliacci.
Eva-Maria Westbroek (Cav) and Patricia Racette (Pag) sing the unlucky heroines, and Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi is on the podium.
Opera’s most enduring tragic double bill returns in an evocative new production from Sir David McVicar, who sets the action in two different time periods in the same Sicilian village.
Marcelo Álvarez rises to the challenge of playing the dual tenor roles of Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana and Canio in Pagliacci. Rae Smith (War Horse) has designed the moodily atmospheric 1900 village square setting of Cavalleria, which transforms into a 1948 truck stop for the doomed vaudeville troupe of Pagliacci.
Eva-Maria Westbroek (Cav) and Patricia Racette (Pag) sing the unlucky heroines, and Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi is on the podium.
Fille is a treasure', says Monica Mason, Director of The Royal Ballet. Anyone who has seen this sunniest of ballets will certainly agree. With its origins in a work first seen in Bordeaux in 1789, La Fille mal gardée had been staged by several choreographers in the 19th century. Frederick Ashton brought the work into the 20th century and created an instant classic which has never left The Royal Ballet's repertory. The simple story of Lise, her suitor Colas and Lise's larger-than-life mother, the Widow Simone, who tries to marry her off to the simpleton son of a rich neighbour, is full of delicious comedy but also wonderful, characterful choreography. One of the greatest pleasures of Fille is the way in which the steps, though at times devilishly difficult, never get in the way of the natural, easy storytelling. The virtuoso roles of Lise and Colas combine dazzling technique with tiny, intimate details that makes their romance touching and real, while the humour of Widow Simone and the innocent Alain, more interested in his red umbrella than Lise's charms, is delightful. Funny and touching, La Fille mal gardée is the perfect ballet for first-timers of all ages, but it is also one to which ballet-lovers will return again and again with renewed pleasure at every performance.
Fille is a treasure', says Monica Mason, Director of The Royal Ballet. Anyone who has seen this sunniest of ballets will certainly agree. With its origins in a work first seen in Bordeaux in 1789, La Fille mal gardée had been staged by several choreographers in the 19th century. Frederick Ashton brought the work into the 20th century and created an instant classic which has never left The Royal Ballet's repertory. The simple story of Lise, her suitor Colas and Lise's larger-than-life mother, the Widow Simone, who tries to marry her off to the simpleton son of a rich neighbour, is full of delicious comedy but also wonderful, characterful choreography. One of the greatest pleasures of Fille is the way in which the steps, though at times devilishly difficult, never get in the way of the natural, easy storytelling. The virtuoso roles of Lise and Colas combine dazzling technique with tiny, intimate details that makes their romance touching and real, while the humour of Widow Simone and the innocent Alain, more interested in his red umbrella than Lise's charms, is delightful. Funny and touching, La Fille mal gardée is the perfect ballet for first-timers of all ages, but it is also one to which ballet-lovers will return again and again with renewed pleasure at every performance.
Ralph Fiennes plays Jack Tanner in this exhilarating reinvention of George Bernard Shaw’s witty, provocative classic.
A romantic comedy, an epic fairy tale and a fiery philosophical debate, Man and Superman asks fundamental questions about how we live. Jack Tanner, celebrated radical thinker and rich bachelor, seems an unlikely choice as guardian to Ann, an alluring heiress. But she takes it in her stride and, despite the love of a poet, decides to marry and tame this dazzling revolutionary. Tanner, appalled by the whiff of domesticity, is tipped off by his chauffeur and flees to Spain, where he is captured by bandits and meets the Devil.
An extraordinary dream debate between heaven and hell ensues. Following in hot pursuit, Ann is there when Tanner awakes, as fierce in her certainty as he is in his.
Mike Leigh (Palme d’Or winner and five times Oscar nominee) directs his first ever opera for the stage in what is guaranteed to be a major event. Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic opera features much-loved favourites, including A Policeman’s Lot is Not a Happy One, and I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major General.
Ralph Fiennes plays Jack Tanner in this exhilarating reinvention of George Bernard Shaw’s witty, provocative classic.
A romantic comedy, an epic fairy tale and a fiery philosophical debate, Man and Superman asks fundamental questions about how we live. Jack Tanner, celebrated radical thinker and rich bachelor, seems an unlikely choice as guardian to Ann, an alluring heiress. But she takes it in her stride and, despite the love of a poet, decides to marry and tame this dazzling revolutionary. Tanner, appalled by the whiff of domesticity, is tipped off by his chauffeur and flees to Spain, where he is captured by bandits and meets the Devil.
An extraordinary dream debate between heaven and hell ensues. Following in hot pursuit, Ann is there when Tanner awakes, as fierce in her certainty as he is in his.
They are the world’s most popular artists. But why and how did they paint, and what lies behind their enduring appeal? To help answer these questions, the film has secured unique access to a major new exhibition focusing on the 19th-century Parisian art collector Paul Durand-Ruel. Durand-Ruel’s brave decision to exhibit the Impressionists in New York in 1886 kept Impressionism alive at a time when it faced complete failure. This energetic and revealing film will tell his remarkable story along with that of the Impressionists themselves.
The most popular opera of all returns in one of the Royal Opera’s best-loved stagings, regularly revived since its opening night in 1974 – and now being seen for the very last time.
John Copley’s keen stagecraft and loving attention to period and dramatic detail make his production a masterpiece of realism, while Julia Trevelyan Oman’s designs evoke the atmosphere of 19th-century Paris.
Several of today’s greatest opera stars return to bid farewell to this sublime staging, notably Anna Netrebko as Mimì, and Joseph Calleja as her lover, Rodolfo. Israeli conductor Dan Ettinger conducts one of Puccini’s most emotional and melodious scores, in a revival that promises to go down in Royal Opera history.
The most popular opera of all returns in one of the Royal Opera’s best-loved stagings, regularly revived since its opening night in 1974 – and now being seen for the very last time.
John Copley’s keen stagecraft and loving attention to period and dramatic detail make his production a masterpiece of realism, while Julia Trevelyan Oman’s designs evoke the atmosphere of 19th-century Paris.
Several of today’s greatest opera stars return to bid farewell to this sublime staging, notably Anna Netrebko as Mimì, and Joseph Calleja as her lover, Rodolfo. Israeli conductor Dan Ettinger conducts one of Puccini’s most emotional and melodious scores, in a revival that promises to go down in Royal Opera history.
Probably the most popular opera in the world, Carmen scandalised its earliest audiences with its raw depiction of lust in 19th-century Seville. In the ENO’s popular production, the action is a full-on battle of the sexes, fought out in the arena of the Spanish bullring.
Opening with what is arguably the most exciting of all operatic overtures, Rossini’s final opera helped to lay the foundations of the genre of French grand opéra that dominated European stages throughout the mid-19th century.
The opera’s theme is liberty, as exemplified in the struggle against Austrian occupation led by the Swiss archer and patriot Guillaume Tell: in the opera’s most famous scene, Tell shoots an apple from his son’s head, a feat that inspires his countrymen to revolt. Rossini’s score is one of his most outstanding, and packed with glorious arias, choruses and ensembles, as those who have heard Antonio Pappano’s admired recording – which also features Gerald Finley (Tell), John Osborn (Arnold) and Malin Byström (Mathilde) – will know.
The exciting young Italian director Damiano Michieletto makes his debut with what promises to be a spectacular and thought-provoking production.
Opening with what is arguably the most exciting of all operatic overtures, Rossini’s final opera helped to lay the foundations of the genre of French grand opéra that dominated European stages throughout the mid-19th century.
The opera’s theme is liberty, as exemplified in the struggle against Austrian occupation led by the Swiss archer and patriot Guillaume Tell: in the opera’s most famous scene, Tell shoots an apple from his son’s head, a feat that inspires his countrymen to revolt. Rossini’s score is one of his most outstanding, and packed with glorious arias, choruses and ensembles, as those who have heard Antonio Pappano’s admired recording – which also features Gerald Finley (Tell), John Osborn (Arnold) and Malin Byström (Mathilde) – will know.
The exciting young Italian director Damiano Michieletto makes his debut with what promises to be a spectacular and thought-provoking production.
Everyman is successful, popular and riding high when Death comes calling. He is forced to abandon the life he has built and embark on a last, frantic search to recruit a friend, anyone, to speak in his defence. But Death is close behind, and time is running out. One of the great primal, spiritual myths, Everyman asks whether it is only in death that we can understand our lives. A cornerstone of English drama since the 15th century, it now explodes onto the stage in a startling production with words by Carol Ann Duffy, Poet Laureate, and movement by Javier De Frutos.
In the melting pot of Venice, trade is God. With its ships plying the globe, the city opens its arms to all, as long as they come prepared to do business and there is profit to be made. With the gold flowing all is well, but when a contract between Bassanio and Shylock is broken, simmering racial tensions boil over. A wronged father, and despised outsider, Shylock looks to exact the ultimate price for a deal sealed in blood. Polly Findlay (Arden of Faversham 2014) directs Shakespeare"s uncompromising play.
Othello is the greatest general of his age: a fearsome warrior, loving husband and revered defender of Venice against its enemies.
But he is also an outsider whose victories have created enemies of his own, men driven by prejudice and jealousy to destroy him. As they plot in the shadows, Othello realises too late that the greatest danger lies not in the hatred of others, but in his own fragile and destructive pride.
After more than a decade working in film and television on projects from STAR WARS to Holby City, Hugh Quarshie returns to the RSC to play Shakespeare's Othello. He was last seen with the RSC in Faust and Julius Caesar (1996). He will play opposite Lucian Msamati (Game of Thrones) as Iago, returning to the RSC following his role as Pericles in 2006. The production is directed by Iqbal Khan (Much Ado About Nothing 2012).
Othello is the greatest general of his age: a fearsome warrior, loving husband and revered defender of Venice against its enemies.
But he is also an outsider whose victories have created enemies of his own, men driven by prejudice and jealousy to destroy him. As they plot in the shadows, Othello realises too late that the greatest danger lies not in the hatred of others, but in his own fragile and destructive pride.
After more than a decade working in film and television on projects from STAR WARS to Holby City, Hugh Quarshie returns to the RSC to play Shakespeare's Othello. He was last seen with the RSC in Faust and Julius Caesar (1996). He will play opposite Lucian Msamati (Game of Thrones) as Iago, returning to the RSC following his role as Pericles in 2006. The production is directed by Iqbal Khan (Much Ado About Nothing 2012).
Fifty Shades of Grey
Breakfast at Tiffany's
The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
RSC Live: Love's Labour's Won
Picturehouse Membership
