The Merry Wives of Windsor

Macbeth

Guidance 12+ • 2h 30m

Counted among his greatest tragedies, Shakespeare’s unsettling combination of warring soldiers and ‘weird sisters’ is brought to life in this post-apocalyptic reimagining of the Scottish play. This production, captured by Digital Theatre live in Liverpool, was directed by Artistic Director Gemma Bodinetz and was the valedictory performance at the original Everyman Theatre. It starred Liverpool Everyman Youth Theatre alumnus David Morrissey in the title role opposite Julia Ford as Lady Macbeth. "

East

Guidance 16+ • 1h 53m

Steven Berkoff’s witty and brutal portrayal of growing up in London’s East End follows the lives of a working-class family through stories of sex, violence, dreams and desires. This 25th-anniversary production was captured live at the Vaudeville Theatre in London. With rich poetic language that parodies Shakespeare and an explosive physicality inspired by Berkoff's training with Jacques Lecoq, East vividly brings to life the struggles of each character using mime, movement, music and humour in this “elegy for the East End and all its energetic waste”.

Over There

Guidance 12+ • 1h 12m

In Over There, Karl, left in East Germany by his mother who escaped to the West with his twin brother Franz, crosses the border himself 25 years later. This production was captured by Digital Theatre live at the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at London’s Royal Court. It was directed by Mark Ravenhill and Ramin Gray and brothers Franz and Karl were played by real-life twins Harry and Luke Treadaway.

Salome

12+ • 2h 19m

Steven Berkoff’s adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s lyrical drama tells the tale of the young Salome, who demands the head of an imprisoned prophet as a reward for dancing for her step-father Herod. Captured live at the Ginza Saison Theatre in Tokyo in 1992, this production stars Berkoff as Herod, the Tetrarch of Judea, who must decide whether to break his oath or give Salome everything she desires. Performed in slow-motion, this interpretation of the New Testament tale employs elements of mime and Kabuki to create a hypnotic, dream-like atmosphere. With a captivating ensemble dressed in monochrome, 1920s costume and a minimalist set design, Berkoff once again defies the conventions of naturalistic theatre with highly physical and stylised performances.

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.

West

Guidance 15+ • 1h 5m

Set in the ‘Swinging ‘60s’, Steven Berkoff’s West follows Mike in his battle with a rival gang, and his struggle to remain true to himself, despite his circumstances. Adapted for television in 1984, Berkoff’s play, inspired by ‘Beowulf’, features the same characters as East, both of which explore the difficulties of growing up in London’s working class communities.

King John

All Ages • 2h 32m

Filmed live at Stratford festival in 2015, Tom McCamus commands the stage as England’s hedonistic and mercurial king in Shakespeare's tale of tenuous rule and desperate measures. This vivid production also stars Patricia Collins as the wickedly ambitious Queen Eleanor.

Troilus and Cressida

All Ages • 2h 53m

Shakespeare’s tale of the tragic love between Troilus and Cressida and the corruption of the Trojan War is reimagined by the Royal Shakespeare Company in this post-apocalyptic production. Captured live in Stratford-upon-Avon, Gregory Doran’s futuristic interpretation of a world resounding with the rhythm of battle is brought to life by virtuoso percussionist Evelyn Glennie. Production photos by Helen Maybanks

The Winter's Tale

Guidance All Ages • 2h 49m

King Leontes rips his family apart with his jealousy, but grief opens his heart. Will he find the child he abandoned before it is too late? Set across a 16-year span from the 1953 coronation to the moon landings, the Royal Shakespeare Company’s 2021 production imagines a world where the ghosts of fascist Europe collide with horrors reminiscent of The Handmaid’s Tale, before washing up on a joyful seashore. With lead performances from Joseph Kloska, Amanda Hadingue, Ben Caplan and Andrew French, Shakespeare's romantic comedy contains his most famous and challenging stage direction: 'Exit, pursued by a bear'. The Winter’s Tale was directed by Deputy Artistic Director Erica Whyman, and reimagined for the screen and broadcast on BBC Four. Production Photo by Topher McGrillis © RSC

Revisor

Guidance 12+ • 1h 30m

Created by Crystal Pite and Jonathon Young, Revisor reworks the comic plot of Nikolai Gogol’s The Government Inspector as the basis for a contemporary dance and theatre piece. Captured live at Sadler’s Wells in 2020, this hybrid work explores conflict, comedy, and corruption in the potent relationship between language and the body. The Guardian gave the production 5 stars, calling it a ‘riveting piece.’