DV8 - Enter Achilles

Beautiful Thing

Guidance 12+ • 1h 54m

This 20th anniversary production of Jonathan Harvey’s play about two working class teenage boys falling in love on a South East London council estate was captured by Digital Theatre live at the Arts Theatre in London’s Leicester Square. It was directed by Nikolai Foster and starred Suranne Jones as Sandra, a single mother trying to make the best for her and her sensitive son, Jamie. The production received wide critical acclaim and was revived again two years later.

Hamlet

3h 32s

Considered to be one of the greatest tragedies of all time, Shakespeare’s tale of murder and revenge is brought to life in this critically acclaimed and visually striking production from the Royal Shakespeare Company. Captured live in Stratford-upon-Avon, Simon Godwin's fresh retelling, set in an unnamed African state, sees Paapa Essiedu shine in the title role, becoming the first Black actor to play Hamlet for the RSC.

Hansel and Gretel

All Ages • 1h 50m

Diana Damrau and Angelika Kirchschlager star in this acclaimed 2008 production of Engelbert Humperdinck’s famous fairy tale opera. With a libretto based on the Brothers Grimm story, this classic opera features a host of characters including the Sandman, the Dew Fairy, and the Witch.

Timon of Athens

Guidance 12+ • 2h 10m

Shakespeare’s heartbreaking tale of a man whose compulsive generosity is taken for granted is reimagined in this Stratford Festival production. Filmed live at the festival in 2018, Joseph Ziegler stars as Timon, who is forced to make difficult decisions when he is abandoned before an upcoming attack on Athens.

They Shall Not Pass: Battle of Cable Street

Guidance 12+ • 41m

Steven Berkoff reads the dramatic text from his successful stage play based on the clash in 1936 between socialists, trade unionists, immigrants and dock workers against Oswald Mosely, 3,000 fascists and 6,000 Metropolitan Police officers on London’s Cable Street. This work achieved sold-out performances in 2019 and highlights Berkoff’s reputation as a distinctive and original voice of the East End.

Primo

Guidance 12+ • 1h 28m

Based on Primo Levi’s memoir, Antony Sher’s stage adaptation brings to life the author’s experiences in Auschwitz during World War II in a poignant, reflective monologue. This National Theatre production stars Sher under the direction of Richard Wilson.

Pablo Picasso at Pompeii

All Ages • 1h 3m

Against the picturesque backdrop of Mount Vesuvius, the ancient Roman theatre of Pompeii hosts a colourful open-air event in honour of Pablo Picasso. Celebrating the centenary of his visit to Italy, two ballets with sets and costumes designed by this legendary Spanish artist are staged: parade, with music by Erik Satie, and Igor Stravinsky’s Pulcinella.

Rich Kids: A History of Shopping Malls in Tehran (Multi-Screen Experience)

Guidance 12+ • 1h 11m

*Stream this production on your big screen and follow @shoppingmallsoftehran on Instagram as you view. If you don't have Instagram, watch our other version of Rich Kids, where the Instagram feed is embedded on the screen.* In 2015 Robert Mugabe’s son filmed himself pouring champagne over the £45,000 watch his father bought him, tagging it on Instagram as #daddyrunsthewholecountry. Based on the extravagant lives of young people in the Middle East, this virtual production co-directed and performed by Javaad Alipoor comments on social media’s complicity in the widening gap between rich and poor.

The Comedy of Errors

7+ • 2h 19m

Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors is a fairytale farce of a separated family, mistaken identities and everyday miracles. A father ends up in the wrong country on the wrong day; a lonely son, while searching for his brother, loses himself; and across town, a wife starts to realise her husband is not the man she thought he was. This RSC production is directed by comedy master Phillip Breen.

The Flying Lovers Of Vitebsk

Guidance 10+ • 1h 29m

Daniel Jamieson’s The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk follows partners in life and on canvas, Marc and Bella Chagall, as they navigate the Pogroms, the Russian Revolution, and each other. Broadcasted live from Bristol Old Vic in 2020 and directed by Emma Rice, this colourful co-production from Bristol Old Vic, Kneehigh and Wise Children is woven throughout with music and dance inspired by Russian Jewish traditions.