It was announced that the quarantine will to be longer than expected, thankfully, the theatrical world is full of shows to stay entertained and to make great discoveries from your sofa!
Here is a list of plays, musicals, operas and many others, available online for FREE (or almost nothing!).
I highly recommend that you make a donation to the theatre and artists who share their shows for free.
Shows from the Chichester Theatre Festival
The English theater festival announces a new program which streams one of its shows for 30 days. The first show announced is Flowers For Mrs. Harris.
Richard Taylor and Rachel Wagstaff's musical, based on the novel by Paul Gallico, tells the story of a woman who, after the Second World War, became obsessed with Dior dresses.
This show premiered at the Chicester Theater Festival in 2018 and includes Clare Burt, Joanna Riding and Gary Wilmot. Critically acclaimed, the show will be available from April 9 for 30 days at this link.
Every week, discover a play from the Hampstead Theatre
The Hampstead Theater celebrates its 2020th anniversary in 60. Each week, thanks to the “Hampstead Theater at Home” initiative, we will be able to discover one of the shows that was played at the theater.
From April 6 to 12, it will be Wonderland by Beth Steel and directed by Edward Hall. Then from 13 to 19, Drawing The Line by Howard Brenton and directed by Howard Davies
A National Theatre show on Youtube every Thursday
The National Theatre announced that it wouldn't reopen until June 30. Fortunately, each Thursday, the theatre puts one of its shows online on its Youtube channel. You can make a donation on the site to support the theatre.
The program is absolutely fantastic:
- One Man, Two Guvnors available from April 2 to 9 with James Corden in the role for which he won a Tony Award. I recommend it to you at all costs: incredibly funny.
- Jane Eyre available from April 9 to 16. This play was devised by the company based on the novel by Charlotte Brontë and under the direction of Sally Cookson. A musical play with actor-musicians: a delight.
- Treasure Island available from April 16 to 23. Robert Louis Stevenson's story is adapted for the stage by Bryony Lavery.
- Twelfth Night available April 23-30. Simon Godwin is directing a new version of Shakespeare's play. With actress Tamsin Greig who plays the role of Malvolia (normally Malvolio and played by a man).
The Globe: Shakespeare on Youtube
The Globe Theatre of London, home of shakespearian theatre will also broadcast its plays on the platform. Every two weeks, a new play will be online. To support the Globe, you can make a donation on the site to ensure the future of the establishment.
The program includes:
- Hamlet (2018) April 6 to 19
- Romeo & Juliet (2009) from April 20 to May 3
- A Midsummer Night's Dream (2013) May 4 to 17
- The Winter's Tale (2018), May 18 to 31
- The Two Noble Kinsmen (2018), June 1 to 14
- finally The Merry Wives of Windsor (2019), June 15 to 28
To find on the Globe Theatre YouTube channel.
Fleabag for £ 4
Okay, it's not exactly free but seeing Phoebe Waller-Bridge's 5 * show for £ 4 is a godsend!
The English actress created this show at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2013. Critics praised this one-woman-show and it was quickly adapted into a television series between 2016 and 2019. The series, with Waller-Bridge in the role of Fleabag, won all the awards for television between 2016 and 2020.
At the end of 2019, she resumed her show for 3 weeks and the tickets sold out in less than an hour! Thankfully, this show was filmed and is now available to stream.
All the money will be donated to charities for those affected by COVID-19.
Collection is offered at £ 4 but if you can give more, it is highly recommended. To find on the Soho Theatre website.
Only The Brave: a new Welsh musical
This musical tells the story of a group of soldiers during the Second World War who embark on a dangerous mission that will allow the success of the D-Day landings.
This Welsh musical includes a score by Matthew Brind with a superb cast: Caroline Sheen, David Thaxton, Neil McDermott, Steffan Lloyd-Evans…
5 shows by physical theatre company Gecko on Youtube
Gecko is a physical theatre company with actors from all over the world. Through experimentation in play, movement and dance, they create a universal language.
5 of their shows are available:
- The Race
- Time of Your Life
- The Arab and the Jew
- The Overcoat
- Taylor's Dummies
To find on their Youtube channel.
Andrew Lloyd Webber shows available on Youtube
The English composer puts online on the Youtube channel, The Shows Must Go On, one of his musicals for 48 hours. After Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat last week,
next up is Jesus Christ Superstar.
The video will be available on April 10 at 19 p.m. (GMT). The show will be available for 48 hours.
This version is from the 2012 Live Arena Tour and includes Tim Minchin, Melanie C, Chris Moyles and Ben Forster.
The musical eugenius
The show, which had a hit run at the Other Palace in London, is available for free on Facebook.
It is about a young boy whose comic strip is chosen to be adapted into a film in Hollywood. But the villain he imagined is very real, evil and heading towards the studios.
With Laura Baldwin, Scott Paige and Rob Houchen. A fine example of a new English musical that reminds us of the spirit Be More Chill.
You can donate to Acting For Others, which offers financial and emotional support to people who work in the theater world and who are affected by this crisis.
Bubble : a play performed online
Uncut Theatre commissions short plays dealing with political and social issues. The pieces are then published, free of rights, so that they can be performed everywhere and provoke a political reflection.
The play Bubble is designed entirely on Facebook and performed through video, messages and emoji. The actors come from 4 different countries and have never met. They rehearsed by Skype before filming the play.
She deals with the snowball effect after a teacher insults a student. We explore freedom of speech in academic communities and the nature of online debate.
The show Since U 'Been Gone by Teddy Lamb
Watch the full Teddy Lamb show, filmed during the Edinburgh Fringe. Beautiful show on grief and genre written and performed by non-binary performer, Teddy Lamb.
Each week, a new play to read online
The Nick Hern Books publishing house, which specialises in publishing contemporary theatre, has set up a playgroup. Every Wednesday and for 7 days, a new play is available on their website.
The first play was Yen by Anna Jordan.
This week we can read Lava by James Fritz.
You can send your questions to the author via the address playgroup@nickhernbooks.co.uk to which he will respond during a Q&A available as a podcast.
Leave a Light On: West End stars in concert from their living rooms
Here as well, it is not free but it is a great opportunity.
The Theater Café launches Leave a Light On: every evening, we can find a West End star in concert from our sofa.
For £ 7,50, a private concert: a good way to support the artists and the Theatre Café!
As you can see, the program is pretty crazy and every week, new artists participate!
The musical curtains live on April 14 for £ 7,50
It's not free either, but if you missed the show during its tour, it's a great opportunity to discover it.
curtains started a tour last October before spending a month in London. The musical by Kander & Ebb (to whom we owe Chicago, and Cabaret) is directed by Paul Foster and choreographed by Alistair David.
We follow the story of a detective who investigates a murder in a theater company and ends up helping to improve the show. It's funny, it's charming and the numbers sung and danced are amazing. In addition, there is a crazy cast: Jason Manford, Rebecca Lock, Ore Oduba, Samuel Holmes, Alan Burkitt, Leah West,…
Diffusion will start at 19pm on April 15 and will cost £ 14, all proceeds will go to the Fund For Freelancers.
More Shakespeare: Winter's Tale by Cheek by Jowl
The sublime play by Shakespeare, performed by the actors of the company Cheek by Jowl and under the direction of Declan Donnellan. I had the chance to see this show at the Théâtre des Gémeaux in 2016 and I was blown away!
It was this company that introduced actors Tom Hiddleston, Gwendoline Christie, Tom Hollander and Adrian Lester.
The piece is on Youtube in its entirety until April 27.
Wise children by Emma Rice on BBC iPlayer
The director and former artistic director of the Globe Theater offers us a fabulous show. Wise children, created with his company (which bears the same name), this show is available from April 11 on BBC iPlayer.
Full operas from the MET Opera
Every day, an opera is available for 24 hours on the website of the Metropolitan Opera in New York; These are all operas that have been seen at the New York venue since 2009.
We can find the operas Madama Butterfly by Puccini, Cosi fan tutte by Mozart, Romeo and Juliet by Gounod.
For the full list of operas, visit the MET Opera website.
A bit of Oscar Wilde: The Importance of Being Earnest
The play, considered one of the finest English comedies, is available on Vimeo until April 12.
This 2016 production is directed by Nikolai Foster, the artistic director of the Curve Theatre in Leicester.
The Pantomime Cinderella to watch live
Pantomimes, also known as “panto”, are the popular English Christmas shows. Always based on a tale, the show takes up the hits of the year and often includes a man in the role of a woman (called Lady).
The Mercury Theater in Colchester offers us the opportunity to see their Cinderella. With a crazy cast: Genevieve Nicole, Jack Reitman, Mari McGinlay and Nicholas McLean.
discover on their Youtube channel April 11 at 15 p.m. (GMT).
A crazy musical: Timson: The musical
This musical, suitable for the whole family, is in its entirety on Youtube.
In Victorian London, two families are at war because of old grudges: that does not prevent from having dancing, songs and lots of shoes!
The ballets and operas of the Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House in London launched its #OurHouseToYourHouse initiative which, every week, offers us a new opera or ballet on their Youtube channel.
We can therefore find:
- the superb Peter and the Wolf by Prokofiev, choreographed by Matthew Hart.
- Acis and Galatea from Handel, choreographed by Wayne McGregor.
- The Metamorphosis, the short story by Franz Kafka is set to music by Frank Moon and choreographed by Arthur Pita.
- Così fan tutte by Mozart.
All these ballets are performed by the orchestra, the corps de ballet and the school of the Royal Opera House. A delight.
Cyprus Avenue by David Ireland
The play that had rave reviews at the Royal Court Theatre is available on Youtube until April 28. With Stephen Rea and directed by Vicky Featherstone.
To see on the Royal Court Theater YouTube channel.
Girls Like That by Evan Placey
The superb play by Evan Placey tells the story of the friendship of young teenage girls after a nude photo of one of them goes around high school phones.
The show is performed by Synergy Theater Project. This company accompanies former prisoners and young people at risk of offending through the theater.
To discover for free on Youtube.
To tease a little: the short film Theater camp
This short film written by Ben Platt, Noah Galvin, Molly Gordon & Nick Lieberman is a parody of theater camps. Super lol.
The play Amsterdam by Maya Arad Yasur
The story follows a 9 month pregnant violinist in her hipster canal-side apartment in Amsterdam. One day, she receives a gas bill from 1944. A reflection on collective identity and the need to give meaning to the present through a devastating past.
To be found until April 27 on the Orange Tree Theatre website.
More Shakespeare: I, Cinna
This piece is a version of Julius Cesar told by a king's fool. Beautifully performed by Jude Owusu: a superb way to introduce young people to Shakespearean theater.
The Show Must Go Online: Shakespeare on Zoom
This completely crazy initiative: a weekly reading of a Shakespeare play on Zoom. With actors from all horizons and backgrounds. The show is broadcast live on Youtube and available after the performance!
Very interesting and allows to rediscover the iambic pentameters of Bard.
7 monologues from the Almeida Theatre
The Off-West End theatre shares 9 monologues from its productions.
We can find Patsy Ferran who interprets the monologue "Love Secret" by Summer and Smoke (role for which she won the Olivier Award for Best Actress).
Not quite in English but too good not to mention:
Complete operas to see on Operavision
Operavision offers more than 30 operas in all languages and from theatre all over the world. All with subtitles in English, French, German, etc.
We can therefore find:
- The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart directed by John Cox.
- Alceste de Gluck directed Guillaume Tourniaire.
- Pelleas and Mélisande by Debussy directed by Barry Kosky at the Komishe Oper Berlin.
- William Tell by Rossini during the Rossini Opera Festival which takes place every year in Pesaro in Italy.
- But also Carmen, Tosca, Don Giovanni and many other great operas to discover without further ado.
To add to this list, check out my recommendations for free musicals on Youtube:
I also advise you to take a look at the " BBC Arts in Quarantine ”.
Wise children by Emma Rice and Mike Bartlett's Albion should join the program very soon!
In addition to dance and theatre, there are also plenty of resources for visual and sound arts.
Good luck and enjoy this wonderful moment of theatrical sharing!
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