NT Live

Ugh same, I was all excited for some actual news ....instead I went to the loo. I do like Edith as a presenter for them though. I was sad with two intervals we didn't get a little behind the scenes bit/more interviews or something.

For those who missed it in the Bad Behaviour thread, I had the mother of all NT Live fails when the Odeon started playing the visuals for Planet of the Apes over the audio for the hot dog scene in Angels. Epic fail, but amusing...

What was the short film they showed before curtain last night? Those of us who were in the theatre were told the cinema audiences were watching something so the start would be a bit late, but not what it was!

Does any of the NT live stuff end up on DVD?

Do you mean NT live encore (in cinemas) or is there somewhere else? Btw, wasn't there something about productions being available to screen to schools, or was that something else? I seem to remember some controversy with people saying it might make it even more difficult to get schools to take kids out to experience live theatre.

I think the feeling was that it might give schools an excuse not to bother in an age of tight timetables and logistical difficulties (so saying, my young niece had a school trip to China - all we got was Styal Mill and the local nature reserve!). In my case, seeing clips of current productions in arts programmes on the TV (back when such things existed) got me out to the theatre but I was considered weird.

Alas, I'm only just learning my way around an iphone.

Btw, I'm not going, but was wondering whether they'll have the glass walls for the NT Live broadcast (might reflections be an issue?).

Btw, if they can do a traverse-staged play like Yerma, I don't see why they can't do Mosquitoes, given the demand for tickets - they live broadcast Salome and that got very poor reviews. 

Ah do you mean turning the stage play into a film? That definitely could've halted proceedings - but I just don't think NT are into releasing their broadcasts on DVD. If rights aren't an issue, I think the demand is probably nowhere near high enough outside big theatre fans to justify the cost. Maybe one day! I think the demand for Frankenstein to get a DVD release was probably purely Cumberbatch fans.

I think I posted once ages ago about a Frankenstein Q and A I was at. Both of the lead actors were cringing somewhat at being shown clips of their performances. I don't think it was just faux modesty- they were commenting that Danny Boyle, as a film director, would have directed Frankenstein differently for that medium, and therefore the filmed stage version jarred with them. This was  admittedly a very early NT Live, but it was interesting to hear the actors' comments. 

The Ferryman was commisioned by Sonia Friedman but Jez Butterworth wanted it to go to the Royal Court first.

The lead actresses/actors are all great on TV / film so if anything I'd have thought they'd be better on TV than many stage actors who really don't have the faces or acting style for it. I know many people who aren't usually NT Live / theatregoing types who want to see it but can't. I didn't hear anyone say 'ooh, Salome, can't wait to see that...'.

I disagree - there are some actors whose style works well across the board and some (Anthony Sher springs to mind) whose style really doesn't translate to the screen, but I saw Ian McKellen's Richard III on stage and screen and the experience was similar. In my mainly northern Facebook / friendship group, the NT Live broadcasts they express interest in are those featuring actors they know mainly from the TV but who only ever appear in shows based in London. It is quite rare to get famous names on stage in 'the provinces' and when they do appear - like Maxine Peake in Streetcar - the queues for day seats were around the block.

I always felt part of the NT Live scheme was an attempt to assuage a bit of guilt about this - London gets HUGE arts subsidies per head of population compared to the regions. We all pay, but the capital reaps the rewards.