# National Theatre broadcasts **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 28, 2013, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-theatre-broadcasts/672414 "2013-10-28T03:44:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-theatre-broadcasts/672414/1 "2013-10-28T03:44:18Z")
The UK’s National Theatre has been broadcasting live stage productions, and following up with the films being shown in other cities. We saw **Macbeth** yesterday; I was expecting a much better production, since Kenneth Branagh was in it, but it was pretty meh, for some reason. Alex Kingston was good as Lady Mac, but Branagh was rather flat, IMO. We saw **The Audience** some weeks ago, with Helen Mirren as The Queen and a host of good actors as her PMs over the years. Very enjoyable. And then today we saw **Othello** , starring Adrian Lester and Rory Kinnear. Kinnear was nothing short of astounding as Iago, and the entire cast really gave a good showing. It was updated to present-day military uniforms and weapons, but the dialog was true to Willy Shakes. The direction was superb, with the actors actually reacting to each other. I usually need an interpreter for Shakespeare, but this was extraordinarily engaging and clearly spoken. Kinnear is also the star of **Hamlet** , but I think it’s sold out here. If you haven’t seen any of these films, I highly recommend them (other than Macbeth). ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-theatre-broadcasts/672414/2 "2013-10-28T05:27:54Z")
I haven’t seen the ones you mentioned, but I will be seeing the televised live performance of **Richard II** starring David Tennant on Nov 13 and I am very much looking forward to it! (I don’t know where or if that will be shown in the US. I am actually seeing it while in London. I couldn’t get tickets to the actual show and this was the next best thing.) ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-theatre-broadcasts/672414/3 "2013-10-28T15:53:33Z")
The one to see is **Frankenstein** , starring TV’s Sherlock Holmeses, Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller. Actually its the one to see twice, as there’s one version with BC as the monster and JLM as the doctor, and another the other way round. ---
**Author:** ![adhemar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@adhemar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhemar)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-theatre-broadcasts/672414/4 "2013-10-28T18:24:16Z")
I saw Othello yesterday as well. Iago weas amazingly convincing as was his wife, Emilia. I wish I could find more about when these productions are to be broadcast. I would like to see Warhorse. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-theatre-broadcasts/672414/5 "2013-10-28T21:08:33Z")
> [@adhemar](#): > > I saw Othello yesterday as well. Iago weas amazingly convincing as was his wife, Emilia. > > I wish I could find more about when these productions are to be broadcast. I would like to see Warhorse. I bagged the ‘where have we seen her before’ question with Emilia after watching her for about a minute. She’s [Lyndsey Marshal](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ep08.jpg), who played Cleopatra in HBO’s _Rome_. The other one was Lady Macbeth, who is played by Alex Kingston, who was Dr. Corday in the TV drama _ER_. [Here’s](http://ntlive.nationaltheatre.org.uk/) where to find the broadcasts in your area. ---
**Author:** ![Parenchyma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Parenchyma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Parenchyma)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-theatre-broadcasts/672414/6 "2013-10-29T01:36:51Z")
Also coming up in January is **Coriolanus** with Tom Hiddleston and Mark Gatiss. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-theatre-broadcasts/672414/7 "2013-10-29T01:42:52Z")
> [@Parenchyma](#): > > Also coming up in January is **Coriolanus** with Tom Hiddleston and Mark Gatiss. I think we’re going to see that.