Hampstead Theatre to stream archive productions for free
© Stephen Cummiskey
The Hampstead Theatre will re-release live stream recordings of some of its archive productions for free, it was announced today.
Mike Bartlett's Wild (2016), Beth Steel's Wonderland (2014) and Howard Brenton's Drawing the Line (2013) will be made available on both the venue's website and The Guardian website over three consecutive weeks, as part of the #HampsteadTheatreAtHome series.
Bartlett's Wild will be available from 10am today (30 March) until 10pm on 5 April. Directed by James Macdonald, the play is inspired by the case of Edward Snowden, the American whistleblower who copied and leaked classified information from the US National Security Agency in 2013. The 2016 production had design by Miriam Buether, lighting by Peter Mumford, sound by Christopher Shutt and illusions by Ben Hart. The cast incuded Caoilfhionn Dunne, Jack Farthing and John Mackay.
Steel's Wonderland will be available from 10am on 6 April to 10pm on 12 April. Directed by the Hampstead Theatre's previous artistic director Edward Hall, the show looks at the UK Miners' Strike in 1984 and 1985. The 2014 production had design by Ashley Martin Davis, lighting by Mumford, choreography by Scott Ambler, sound by Matt McKenzie and composition by Simon Slater. The cast included Nigel Betts, Paul Brennen, Dugald Bruce-Lockhart, Gunnar Cauthery, Paul Cawley, Michael Cochrane, Ben-Ryan Davies, Andrew Havill, David Moorst, Paul Rattray, Andrew Readman and Slater.
Brenton's Drawing the Line will be available from 10am on 13 April to 10pm on 19 April. Directed by Howard Davies, it tells the story of the partitioning of India in 1947. The 2013 production had design by Tim Hatley, costumes by Jack Galloway, lighting by Rick Fisher, composition by Nicki Wells and sound by Mike Walker. The cast included David Annen, Paul Bazely, Tom Beard, Lucy Black, Silas Carson, Abigail Cruttenden, Neil D'Souza, Tanveer Ghani, Andrew Havill, Salma Hoque, Rez Kempton, John Mackay, Simon Nagra, Nikesh Patel, Brendan Patricks, Shalini Peiris and Peter Singh.
Roxana Silbert, artistic director of Hampstead Theatre, said: "I am delighted and grateful to be in a position to offer this new #HampsteadTheatreAtHome series from Hampstead's digital archive. I hope these productions offer audiences entertainment, connection and nourishment in a time of uncertainty and isolation. These three plays all shine a light on turbulent points in our international history which, along with acknowledging the worst of human behaviour, celebrates the ingenuity, humour, compassion and resilience of the best."
