National Theatre Live broadcasts summer comedy, Much Ado About Nothing to cinemas worldwide

By Joanne Savage
Published 26th Aug 2022, 12:57 BST
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Audiences from the UK and Ireland are invited to an early autumn escape to the Italian Riviera in Much Ado About Nothing, the National Theatre’s first live broadcast from its stages since the start of the pandemic

Available in cinemas from Thursday 8 September in the UK and Ireland, and to audiences worldwide from Thursday 1 December, tickets are now on sale with National Theatre Live.

Katherine Parkinson (The IT Crowd) and John Heffernan (Dracula) lead the cast in Shakespeare’s irresistible romantic comedy, a tale of sun, sea and mistaken identity.

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Set in the fictional Hotel Messina, this legendary beachside escape has been visited by artists, celebrities and royalty.

Katherine Parkinson and John Heffernan in Shakespeare's irresistible romantic comedy Much Ado About NothingKatherine Parkinson and John Heffernan in Shakespeare's irresistible romantic comedy Much Ado About Nothing
Katherine Parkinson and John Heffernan in Shakespeare's irresistible romantic comedy Much Ado About Nothing

But when the owner’s daughter weds a dashing young soldier, not all guests are in the mood for love. Watch the NT Live trailer.

Director Simon Godwin returns to the NT, following his award-winning productions of Romeo & Juliet, Twelfth Night and Antony and Cleopatra. Much Ado About Nothing runs in the Lyttelton theatre until 10 September.

The full company includes Al Coppola, Celeste Dodwell, Eben Figueiredo, Olivia Forrest, David Fynn, Ashley Gillard, Brandon Grace, Nick Harris, Phoebe Horn, David Judge, Kiren Kebaili-Dwyer, Ioanna Kimbook, Wendy Kweh, Marcia Lecky, Ewan Miller, Mateo Oxley, Rufus Wright and Ashley Zhangazha.

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With set design by Anna Fleischle, costume design by Evie Gurney and lighting design by Lucy Carter. Movement Director is Coral Messam. Composer is Michael Bruce and sound design by Christopher Shutt. Fight Director is Kate Waters. Associate Set Designer is Cat Fuller. Music Associate is Lindsey Miller and Staff Director is Hannah Joss. Music Director is Dario Rossetti-Bonell, Kit by Shane Fobes, Upright Bass by Nicki Davenport, Woodwind by Jessamy Holder and Trumpet by Steve Pretty.

The broadcast follows the success of the National Theatre Live for Prima Facie, with Jodie Comer in her West End debut, which has now become the second most popular NT Live broadcast of all time. Prima Facie was released to cinemas worldwide, in partnership with Empire Street Productions, on 21 July.

This autumn, NT Live will also broadcast Jack Absolute Flies Again, featuring Caroline Quentin (Jonathan Creek) and Kelvin Fletcher (Emmerdale), from the National Theatre on 6 October and The Seagull, featuring Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones), from the Harold Pinter Theatre for The Jamie Lloyd Company on 3 November. Find out more at ntlive.com.

Sky Arts is the Headline Partner of the National Theatre Live in the UK.

Related topics:Ireland

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