Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Entertainment
Zoe Paskett

How to watch National Theatre live stream shows online for free

The National Theatre is one of the many arts organisations giving us free access to their archives.

National Theatre at Home is an initiative for the theatre to continue their work “through these difficult times”, said executive director Lisa Burger.

The first show, One Man Two Guvnors, was watched live by 200,000 people, and later by millions more, when it premiered on YouTube last month, while a double bill of Frankensteins with Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller alternating lead roles, were watched by more than 3 million people.

Productions from other London stages have featured too, as the Donmar's Coriolanus starring Tom Hiddleston and the Young Vic's A Streetcar Named Desire with Gillian Anderson were streamed in recent weeks.

The final phase of shows brings the streamings to a close in mid-July, starting with Andrea Levy's Small Island.

Here’s everything you need to know about tuning into the special NT Live online broadcasts.

What is National Theatre at Home?

The South Bank-based theatre is releasing a number of plays for free onto YouTube. Each one will premiere on a Thursday evening and be available to watch for the next week.

Which theatre shows are included?

  • Small Island, adapted from Andrea Levy's book by Helen Edmundson, June 18

  • A Midsummer Night’s Dream, starring Gwendoline Christie, June 25

  • Les Blancs, by Lorraine Hansberry and directed by Yaël Farber, July 2

  • The Deep Blue Sea, by Terrence Rattigan starring Helen McCrory, July 9

  • Amadeus, by Peter Schaffer starring Lucian Msamati, July 16

One Man Two Guvnors, Jane Eyre, Treasure Island, Twelfth Night, Frankenstein, Antony & Cleopatra, Barber Shop Chronicles, This House, A Streetcar Named Desire, Coriolanus and the Madness of King George III have all been streamed in previous weeks.

The National will announce further plays soon, but for now, here is our wishlist of what we’d love to be able to watch from home.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.