

National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage
Synopsis
To celebrate its 50th anniversary, the National Theatre of Great Britain presents National Theatre: 50 Years on Stage, bringing together the best British actors for a unique evening of unforgettable performances, broadcast live from London to cinemas around the world.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Official TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2013-10-31
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →Roger Allam
Jonathan Bailey
Cassio
Simon Russell Beale
Hamlet
Alan Bennett
Hector
Dominic Cooper
Dakin
James Corden
Timms
Benedict Cumberbatch
Rosencrantz
Frances de la Tour
Kay
Judi Dench
Cleopatra/Desiree Armfeldt
Sacha Dhawan
Akhtar
James Doherty
Christopher Eccleston
Ralph Fiennes
Lambert Le Roux
Michael Gambon
Hirst
Derek Jacobi
Claudius/Spooner
Alex Jennings
Henry Higgins
Rory Kinnear
Iago
Nicholas Le Prevost
Ernest
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Nicholas Hytner
- Original Title
- National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage
- Country of Origin
- United Kingdom
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 26m
- Production Studios
- BBC, National Theatre
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Nicholas Hytner
Department Leadership Roster
Nicholas Hytner
Director
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage.
Favorite Actors
National Theatre Live
All productions released by National Theatre Live, UK – either done directly by the Royal National Theatre or other UK venues/producers. [**NationalTheatre.org.uk**](https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk) / [**NTLive.com**](https://www.ntlive.com) / [**NTatHome.com**](https://www.ntathome.com) (for its US equivalent, see [**BroadwayHD**](https://www.tmdb.org/company/103196-broadwayhd) and site [**BroadwayHD.com**](https://www.broadwayhd.com).) Some productions were filmed _solely_ for their paid streaming channel "National Theatre at Home", and were branded without the "National Theatre Live" posters which those that also screened in cinemas typically got posters with. (plus: There was a 2009 BBC TV series entry titled "National Theatre Live" with the first five filmed productions that featured additional commentary, at #280519, but this was deleted by a mod!) ______________________________________________________________________ • **2024.05.09.Thu: Plays 1-100** - [**nationaltheatre.org.uk/news/national-theatre-live-100-plays-in-cinemas-1-25**](https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/news/national-theatre-live-100-plays-in-cinemas-1-25) _"National Theatre Live broadcast its 100th title, Nye, live from the Olivier stage. Now buckle up as we’re going to take you on a journey through all 100 NT Lives (you heard that right). From our first to our most recent, join us to recount all the incredible plays that have made it from the stage to the screen – with some fun facts thrown in for good measure!"_ ______________________________________________________________________ **What is National Theatre Live (NTL) & National Theatre at Home (NTaH)?** ([**Wikipedia**](https://w.wiki/9grq)) National Theatre Live is an initiative from the National Theatre (formerly "Royal National Theatre") in London, who record their own plays (and also may do/did some live broadcasts to cinemas too) and other non-National Theatre productions from selected indie/West-End theatre plays in London and beyond in the UK (eg. Chichester, et al.). Unless it's a live cinema viewing, typically once the live theatre run has ended these are then shown in cinemas. NTL cinema audiences are able to view play recordings at cinema screenings in the UK and globally (eg. Australia, Taiwan, et al.), with cinema releases either concurrently (or after an initial cinema release) also released on their paid streaming service National Theatre at Home. NTaH launched in 2020 offering access to over 100 productions, with new titles added monthly. All titles include captions, over 90% available with Audio Description, and a selection available in British Sign Language (BSL). Reaching theatre audiences globally, streaming to over 184 countries, a majority of audiences having never visited the National Theatre's South Bank home, and is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies. 2026 research showed 99% of NTaH's audiences are outside London, with over 60% saying filmed theatre options support wider discoverability and increased overall theatre experiences.
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Frequently Asked Questions About National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage about?
To celebrate its 50th anniversary, the National Theatre of Great Britain presents National Theatre: 50 Years on Stage, bringing together the best British actors for a unique evening of unforgettable performances, broadcast live from London to cinemas around the world.
Who directed National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage?
National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage was directed by Nicholas Hytner.
Who stars in National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage?
The principal cast of National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage includes Roger Allam, Jonathan Bailey, Simon Russell Beale, Alan Bennett, Dominic Cooper.
When was National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage released and how long is it?
National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage was released in 2013 with a total runtime of 2h 26m.


















