20 stage shows, musicals and more to watch on BBC iPlayer
There's a whole world of streaming choices!
© BBC/Guy Levy
BBC iPlayer is a valuable resource during the lockdown and things are no different for theatre enthusiasts! Here is a range of shows worth catching, and we'll update these as the weeks go on.
Sign up for our daily newsletter for more
Musicals: The Greatest Show
A 100-minute musical extravanganza, featuring some of the most iconic shows performed by top-tier vocalists.
Les Mis at 25: Matt Lucas Dreams the Dream
A look behind-the-scenes as Matt Lucas prepares to star in Les Mis – a great insight into the workings of major musicals!
Judi Dench: All The World's Her Stage
A look at the incredible career of Judi Dench, featuring accounts from Daniel Craig, Stephen Frears, Pierce Brosnan, Samantha Bond and Ian McKellen.
Staged
The second series, once more led by Michael Sheen and David Tennant, follows two actors who are out of work and determined to carry on rehearsals. Their home lives and families have other ideas!
The Goes Wrong Show
The screen endeavours of the notorious Mischief Comedy team, the group continue to go from strength to strength.
Talking Heads
© BBC / London Theatre Company / Zac Nicholson
A brand new filmed version of the iconic Alan Bennett series has been released in full online for your viewing pleasure! Featuring Jodie Comer, Lucian Msamati and more, there really is something for everyone in here.
Uncle Vanya
The star-studded West End production, which we threw heaps of stars at last year, is available for a time on the streaming service.
Performance Live
The "Performance Live" series on BBC iPlayer, released earlier this month, hosted some of the richest and most varied channel for boundary-pushing performance art available right now. The Way Out, a whirligig one-shot tour around Battersea Arts Centre, features.
The Red Shoes
Matthew Bourne's jaw-dropping spectacle based on the classic story is now streaming online – expect magical performance at its finest.
On The Town (1949)
Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra bring some musical charm in this post-war classic, available this month.
Top Hat (1935)
Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers are the go-to for musical movies and Top Hat, featuring music and lyrics by Irving Berlin, may be one of their finest.
The Sky's the Limit (1943)
Joan Leslie and Astaire star in the 1943 film which has music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by Johnny Mercer.
The Gay Divorcee (1934)
Based on Dwight Taylor's 1932 musical of the same name (but controversially leaving out a lot of Cole Porter's original tunes) this was another of the ten movies Astaire and Ginger Rogers did together.
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Russel T Davies' TV version of the Bard's fantasy romance has an all-star cast bringing extra magic to the classic tale. Quite honestly we couldn't imagine anyone better to take on the play than this magical director.
Fosse / Verdon
Want to know all about the making of some of the greatest musical movies of all time? Don't miss this award-winning series starring Michelle Williams and Sam Rockwell. It might change the way you look at the stage!
Carefree (1938)
The perfect pairing of Astaire and Rogers continues with this comedy, which also features the work of Berlin. The film controversially (at the time) featured a "long on-screen kiss", which shocked audiences in their droves.
Upstart Crow
The stage version's West End run was cut short by the lockdown, but there's more than enough fun to be had on BBC iPlayer in this David Mitchell-led sitcom about Shakespeare. Think Blackadder meets Horrible Histories with extra Ben Elton fun!
Unprecedented
The completely original series of filmed shows was recorded in lockdown by actors, directors and more, in direct response to the pandemic.
Dracula
Bram Stoker's gothic romance is brought to life in this piece, recorded at Leeds Playhouse in 2019 and choreographed by David Nixon.
Opera Mums with Bryony Kimmings
The hit performance artist Kimmings creates a piece inspired by the lives of single mums.