Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring

It's True, It's True, It's True

Guidance 16+ • 1h 14m

Centuries after it shook Renaissance Rome, the 1612 trial of Artemisia Gentileschi is dramatised in this award-winning verbatim production devised by Breach Theatre. Blurring the line between historical court transcripts and parody, this compelling, and at times visceral, feminist drama was captured at the Stone Nest, London in 2020.

The Merry Wives of Windsor

Guidance 14+ • 2h 26m

Shakespeare's tale of love and jealousy is relocated to Essex as two merry wives seek revenge on Sir John Falstaff in this contemporary Royal Shakespeare Company production. Captured live in Stratford-upon-Avon, Fiona Laird's RSC debut with Lez Brotherston's bold and colourful set design transports this much-loved comedy into the 21st century. Production photography by Manual Harlan

Timon of Athens

Guidance 14+ • 2h 7m

Shakespeare’s tale of wealth and greed is reimagined in this Royal Shakespeare Company production starring the Olivier Award-winning Kathryn Hunter as Timon, whose fortune runs dry after living a life of luxury. Captured live in Stratford-upon-Avon in 2018, Simon Godwin’s dark satire charts Timon’s descent from opulence to poverty, magnified by Soutra Gilmour’s lavish set and costume design. Production photography by Simon Annand

Romeo and Juliet

12+ • 2h 51m

Adetomiwa Edun and Ellie Kendrick are the star-crossed lovers in Dominic Dromgoole's fresh and vibrant take on Shakespeare's famous tragedy. The dangerous and forbidden love between Romeo and Juliet is the catalyst that finally sends the warring families of Montague and Capulet head to head. Marriages, murder, exile and poison all feature in this powerful tale of doomed romance.

Julius Caesar

2h 43m

One of his three Roman plays based on historical fact, Shakespeare’s tale of power and betrayal is brought to vivid life in this period-dress production from the Royal Shakespeare Company. Captured live in Stratford-upon-Avon, this adaptation evokes imperialism at its most grandiose, creating a vivid spectacle from the conspirators’ extreme act of violence. Production photography by Helen Maybanks

The Suicide

12+ • 2h 49m

Sergey Zhenovach's staging of Nikolai Erdman's banned Soviet-era comedy centres around a young, unemployed man desperate enough to contemplate ending it all. This production was captured by Stage Russia HD at The Theatre Art Studio in Moscow. The play, originally written in 1928 and unproduced until 1990, forms a link in Russian literary history between the satirical mastery of Nikolai Gogol and the post-World War II Theatre of the Absurd.

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.

The Comedy of Errors

All Ages • 1h 26m

One of Shakespeare’s early comedies, The Comedy of Errors is a fast-paced farce exploring mistaken identities and relations lost and found. This production was captured by Digital Theatre live at the Clapham Community Project. It was devised specifically for schools and families by the Royal Shakespeare Company in association with critically acclaimed theatre company, Told by an Idiot. Directed by Paul Hunter, it features a cast made up from the RSC’s ensemble and uses a pared down script, props, live music and physical comedy to convey the story.

Romeo and Juliet

Guidance All Ages • 2h 33m

Shakespeare’s famous tragedy of two star-crossed lovers is brought to life in this captivating production by the Stratford Festival. Filmed live at the festival in 2018, Sara Farb and Antoine Yard star as the teenagers who defy the long-simmering hatred between their families in the name of love. *Contains mild violence and suicidal themes

Tarantula

Guidance 15+ • 1h 47m

It’s a sunny, spring day in East London. On a street corner, two teenagers kiss. One of them is Toni (Georgie Henley). This is her first kiss. It makes her very happy. But someone is watching. Someone who doesn’t care about her happiness at all. And they’re about to change Toni’s life… forever. Philip Ridley’s thrilling new play is a startling exploration of identity, memory, love, and the lengths it takes someone to free themselves from the web of their past