Hampstead Theatre to stream series of productions online for free

Hampstead Theatre has announced it will be streaming a number of productions from its archive.

The venue has teamed up with The Guardian to stream recordings of Mike Bartlett’s Wild, Beth Steel’s Wonderland and Howard Brenton’s Drawing the Line online for free.

The three productions will be made available, on demand, over three consecutive weeks as part of the theatre’s #HampsteadTheatreAtHome series. You’ll be able to watch online via theguardian.com and hampsteadtheatre.com.

Here are all the details you need:

Week 1, from Monday 30 March 10am to Sunday 5 April 10pm (GMT), will feature Mike Bartlett’s Wild (2016). Directed by James Macdonald, this darkly comic play explores the unexpected, bewildering, and life-changing consequences of challenging the status quo at a global level, inspired by the case of Edward Snowden, the American whistleblower who copied and leaked classified information from the US National Security Agency in 2013.

Week 2, from Monday 6 April, 10am – Sunday 12 April, 10pm (GMT) will feature Beth Steel’s Wonderland (2014). Directed by the theatre’s previous Artistic Director, Edward Hall, this epic and witty drama takes a look at the clashing ideologies during the UK’s Miners’ Strike of 1984–85 and presents the full sweep of the turbulent events that transformed the country.

Week 3, from Monday 13 April, 10am – Sunday 19 April, 10pm (GMT) will feature Howard Brenton’s Drawing the Line (2013). Directed by the late Howard Davies, the play features a large ensemble, and tells the story of the chaotic partitioning of India in 1947 whilst celebrating the strength of humanity.

The latest streaming series follows Hampstead Theatre making its production of I and You available to watch online last week as part of its #HampsteadTheatreAtHome initiative while theatres across the UK are closed.

Roxana Silbert, Artistic Director of Hampstead Theatre said: “I am delighted and grateful to be in a position to offer this new #HampsteadTheatreAtHome series from Hampstead’s digital archive. I hope these productions offer audiences entertainment, connection and nourishment in a time of uncertainty and isolation.

“These three plays all shine a light on turbulent points in our international history which, along with acknowledging the worst of human behaviour, celebrates the ingenuity, humour, compassion and resilience of the best.

“Thank you to the many artists involved for allowing us to create this series so quickly and to The Guardian for being our wonderful streaming partner again, helping us reach as many people as possible.”