The best of British theatre on a cinema screen near you
For over 15 years, we’ve given our audience the best seat in the house.
We film unmissable theatre live from Britain’s most exciting stages and screen it in thousands of cinemas around the globe. Our productions have been seen by an audience of over 12 million people.
Find out what’s screening near you
When watching a National Theatre Live, you’ll always be at the heart of the action, watching the drama unfold on the big screen.
Our state-of-the-art filming techniques are tailored to every play, bringing you each performance as it happens, in all its glory. From close-ups that capture tiny flickers of emotion, to sweeping wide shots.
Whether you’re in Birmingham, Berlin or Brisbane, this is your ticket to sold-out award-winning plays.
100 plays in cinemas
In 2024 we celebrated our 100th production. Watch our short film to discover the history of National Theatre Live, and how we brought our very first play, Phèdre with Helen Mirren, to cinemas in 2009.
How do we do it?
We film our plays in front of a live theatre audience, but optimise everything for the big screen so it’s the next best thing to being there.
The actors on stage deliver their performances as they normally would any other night. But to make sure everyone watching in a cinema has the best seat in the house, we tailor the position of our cameras to capture each production and work closely with technical teams to make sure every element on stage such as lighting, hair and make-up look fantastic on the big screen.
Want to know more?
Browse our frequently asked questions here.
Our home is at the National Theatre
We make world-class theatre that is entertaining, challenging and inspiring. And we make it for everyone. We hope you can visit us soon.
Sky Arts is the proud sponsor of National Theatre Live in the UK