Bow Tie Broadcasts National Theatre - NTLive to a Global Cinema Audience
Friday, July 17, 2009
In June we covered the first ever live High Definition
production of a stage play from the National Theatre. The French
classical tragedy Phèdre featured Helen Mirren, and was directed by
Nick Hytner, and is the start of the new NT Live season, Initially
there will be four plays beamed live by satellite for one night
only to independent and arthouse cinemas across the UK to audiences
that will have paid £10 a ticket. In total 200 cinemas subscribed
and most of the UK ones sold out, with international venues opening
second screens to accommodate the demand. This was also distributed
live across Europe and then delayed by 5 hours and transmitted to
cinemas across America. The play was recorded and transmitted using
5.1 surround sound Dolby D, so that when the audience in the
receiving cinemas listened they will get the same enhanced
theatrical experience that they would have had if they had been in
the National.
Crits from various papers
We are now in the planning stage for "Alls Well That Ends Well"
and "Nation" September and January respectively.