Never-before-seen archive recording of Inua Ellams’ smash-hit play Barber Shop Chronicles, a co-production with Leeds Playhouse and Fuel, will be streamed live by the National Theatre on Thursday 14 May at 7PM BST.
Captured at the National Theatre in January 2018 during its second sold-out run at the Dorfman theatre, the production went on to tour internationally including performances at BAM in New York with a return to London’s Roundhouse last Summer. The play tells the interwoven tales of black men from across the globe who, for generations, have gathered in barber shops where the banter can be barbed and the truth is always telling.
The National Theatre will stream Barber Shop Chronicles and further productions from partner theatres live on YouTube via the National Theatre’s YouTube channel as part of National Theatre at Home; the new initiative to bring content to the public in their homes during the Coronavirus outbreak.All productions will be free and screened live at 7.00PM BST and will then be available on demand for seven days.
National Theatre at Home launched in April in response to theatre and cinema closures due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Over the past month, five productions have been streamed for free via YouTube to an audience of 8 million. With the closure of theatres set to continue for some time, the future of the industry for artists and organisations remains uncertain. The National Theatre has, in agreement with Equity, committed to pay all artists and creatives involved with productions streamed as part of National Theatre at Home.
Robin Hawkes, Executive Director of Leeds Playhouse said
“We’re really pleased that Barber Shop Chronicles, which we brought back to Leeds last year after it was a huge hit with audiences here at the Playhouse previously, is going to be one of the first partner theatre performances accessible to such a wide audience through NT at Home.”
Theatres all around the world are facing a devastating impact from Coronavirus. NATIONAL THEATRE AT HOME is free of charge but should viewers wish to make a donation, money donated via YouTube will be shared with the co-producing theatre organisations of each stream, including Leeds Playhouse, to help support the Playhouse through this period of closure and uncertainty.
For more information on NATIONAL THEATRE AT HOME go to https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/at-home
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