National Theatre Live announces star-studded interactive event

National Theatre Live has announced a free event at Manchester’s Arndale Centre on 22 January, inviting the public to experience a unique theatrical opportunity.

Attendees will have the chance to participate in a live reading of an excerpt from a renowned play, performed alongside an actor from the National Theatre in London, through a large screen set up in the shopping centre. Participants will be seated in Vue’s recliner chairs, known as the Lux seats, for this interactive experience.

The event aims to celebrate broadcaster National Theatre Live’s role in bringing high-quality theatre to global audiences through event cinema.

National Theatre Live broadcasts theatre productions to cinemas, ensuring wider accessibility to celebrated performances. Recent survey findings reveal that 25 per cent of Britons want to visit the cinema more often in 2025, with this figure rising to 38 per cent among Gen Z audiences. While only 19 per cent of people have attended “event cinema screenings” (ie those shown for one night only) so far, nearly half (47 per cent) expressed interest in attending, a number that climbs to 53 per cent for Gen Z.

Shoppers in Manchester will also have the opportunity to interact with cast members of The Importance of Being Earnest, including Ncuti Gatwa, Ronkẹ Adékọluẹ́jọ́, Eliza Scanlen, and Amanda Lawrence. This National Theatre production is the next to be released in cinemas via National Theatre Live from 20 February.

You can listen to Adékọluẹ́jọ́ and Scanlen in our special bonus episode of the WhatsOnStage Podcast below.

Other well-known actors featured in past National Theatre Live productions, such as Adrian Scarborough, Katherine Parkinson, Hammed Animashaun, Craig Parkinson, Eben Figueiredo, and Owen Teale, will also be part of the event.

National Theatre Live currently screens productions in 850 cinemas and venues across the UK. According to the survey, 31 per cent of respondents value accessibility and convenience in their arts experiences, while 53 per cent of Britons believe cultural activities are essential for maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Additionally, 69 per cent think event cinema can have a positive impact on wellbeing, with this sentiment increasing to 86 per cent among Gen Z participants.