Online theatre

NW venues put Dorian in the picture

23 January 2021

Several North West venues will be partners for a new digital production of The Picture of Dorian Gray.

Collide Theatre virtual Metamorphosis

23 January 2021

Collide Theatre and London fringe venue The Cockpit offer a virtual front row for Metamorphosis 360°.

Curve to stream The Color Purple

22 January 2021

Two Midlands theatres are joining up to present an online concert version of their first co-production and 2,000 tickets will be distributed free to NHS workers.

May Contain Food by Luca Silvestrini's Protein

22 January 2021

Luca Silvestrini's Protein's dance and singing fusion May Contain Food will be streamed in February on King's Place's streaming platform.

New dance project by James Cousins

22 January 2021

A short film and virtual gallery, In Search of Sanctuary, will open Dance East’s digital programme from 29-31 January 2021.

Alexia starts Birmingham theatre’s online workshops

22 January 2021

Birmingham’s Alexia McIntosh has kicked off a series of digital masterclasses at the Hippodrome in the city: 25 online workshops for young people aged between 7 and 25.

Belgrade to host Dorian Gray online streaming

19 January 2021

Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre is to host a digital streaming of the Oscar Wilde play The Picture of Dorian Gray which will “push the theatrical form”.

The colourful Shadow of Kneehigh

18 January 2021

Kneehigh has released a free online educational resource pack, The Shadow Kit.

Musicians considering conductor role

17 January 2021

Musicians are invited to join new international conducting competition online.

MANIPULATE digital

17 January 2021

This year's MANIPULATE Festival goes online to deliver screenings, workshops and a celebration of womxn in animation, with some lucky Scots getting a moving sculpture installation.

Papatango Shook online

17 January 2021

Papatango New Writing Prize-winner Shook has been filmed and will be online next month, whilst this year's Prize continues to accept submissions.

Beauty of an extended Beast

15 January 2021

St Helens Theatre Royal is extending the online version of Beauty and the Beast until the end of January.

Panto Season 2020: Online Pantos - last chance to watch!

15 January 2021

There's still time to visit Pantoland online. Listings of the shows you can watch from the comfort of your own home.

Curve goes back to school with classroom initiative

14 January 2021

Leicester’s Curve theatre is supporting home schooling during the third national lockdown with an educational initiative called Curve Classroom.

Verbatim online opera from all-disabled ensemble

13 January 2021

New verbatim opera We Ask These Questions of Everybody from composer Amble Skuse will be performed online by an all-disabled ensemble at Scotland's Sound Festival 2021.

NDCWales & Literature Wales film collaboration extended

13 January 2021

The National Dance Company Wales and Literature Wales collaboration, Plethu/Weave, has been extended and will be a part of the Wales in Germany themed year in 2021.

A virtual dance programme for 2021

11 January 2021

Eliot Smith Dance is to launch virtual programming for its winter / spring 2021 season.

Dancing Nation broadcast postponed

10 January 2021

The broadcast of Dancing Nation on BBC iPlayer and the Sadler's Wells web site has been postponed to be compliant with new coronavirus guidelines.

Curve extends run of Sunset Boulevard at Home

9 January 2021

Leicester’s Curve theatre has extended until Sunday 17 January “due to popular demand” the run of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Sunset Boulevard—at Home.

New online digital arts festival

3 January 2021

Living Record is a new arts festival presented on a bespoke online platform presenting work across a range of disciplines.

The Women's Writes Online Festival

27 December 2020

Five new short plays challenging stereo-typical depictions of womxn will be shown in the new year.

Panto Season 2020: Online Pantos (Updated 24 December)

24 December 2020

Listings of the many online pantomimes available to watch from the comfort of your own home.

ENB's Nutcracker Delights free online

22 December 2020

English National Ballet is to make a recorded performance of Nutcracker Delights available to watch for free on YouTube and Facebook.

Home or away - at HOME!

19 December 2020

HOME’s Christmas shows are to go ahead despite the tiering announcement for Manchester.

A Grand night in at the panto

19 December 2020

Panto cancelled at the Blackpool Grand? Oh No It’s Not!

North East audition call from NTC

18 December 2020

Northumberland Theatre Company is looking for two female actors for a streamed performance in January

More free online pantos!

18 December 2020

The Geordie Panto Co is offering not one, but two pantos for families to watch online free of charge

ENB School Winter Showcase online release

18 December 2020

English National Ballet School's Winter Showcase, filmed at The Roundhouse, will be available online from 21 December.

Ballets de Monte Carlo postpones online stream

18 December 2020

The latest measures relating to the performance of live shows has caused Les Ballet de Monte Carlo to postpone the launch of its video platform until January.

Can Bubblegum save Santa?

18 December 2020

Northumberland Theatre Company has the answer.

County Durham community opera now online

18 December 2020

Song of Our Heartland, a community opera for County Durham created with Opera North, is now streaming online free of charge.

Heartbreak goes online with panto for adults

17 December 2020

Open-air theatre stalwart Heartbreak Productions is to tackle its first live, online production: an original panto for grown-ups, Tinsel in my Pants.

Christmas at The Maltings

16 December 2020

Although the theatre is closed, The Maltings in Berwick goes online for Christmas.

Merry Christmas, Holly & Ivan

16 December 2020

A sister, her brother and a theatre unite to tell a Christmas story with Newcastle’s Alphabetti Theatre.

Sadler’s Wells Dancing Nation online

15 December 2020

Sadler’s Wells and BBC Arts are to collaboration on an all-day digital, live and pre-recorded broadcast, Dancing Nation.

A puppet school for Newcastle

14 December 2020

Kids and teens in Newcastle are invited to join an online puppet school next spring.

A Christmas Carol broadcast

13 December 2020

The Octagon will be bringing Christmas spirit with its festive broadcast of A Christmas Carol.

On a Manchester Mission

13 December 2020

Julie Hesmondhalgh, Steve Evets and Shelley King lead the line up of Manchester actors bringing Christmas cheer and raising money for Wood Street Mission.

City festival warms up for summer

13 December 2020

Manchester International Festival plans to return July 1–18, but meantime launches new commissions, an international showcase and other collaborations.

5 Plays of Christmas from Live

10 December 2020

Newcastle’s Live Theatre presents five new short and alternative festive plays online.

Royal Opera House Christmas streams

9 December 2020

The Royal Opera House has announced its biggest ever programme of digital ballet and opera content for over the Christmas period.

RSC swings with streamed concert version of the Dream

8 December 2020

The Royal Shakespeare Company has announced further details of Tales for Winter 2020-21, including Swingin' the Dream, a concert with the Young Vic and Theatre for a New Audience.

Constella Christmas Gala online

7 December 2020

Constella aims to combat loneliness among the elderly with its Connecting Stars one-to-one virtual performances to isolated care home residents.

Stars come out for Great Ormond Street

6 December 2020

A star-studded audio adaptation of Peter Pan will raise funds for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity.

Will panto defeat Rottenchops the Rotter?

5 December 2020

A comedy thriller from Durham’s Gala sees panto heroes take on the rottenest villain of them all!

Nutcracker moved online at Birmingham REP

4 December 2020

Birmingham Royal Ballet has taken the “difficult” decision to move its Christmas production of The Nutcracker due to tier three coronavirus restrictions.

An animated Christmas from Northumberland

4 December 2020

Three Northumberland venues, a producer, a writer from Gateshead, a Newcastle songwriter and a South Shields animator combine to produce an animated Christmas show.

Curve to film Sunset Boulevard for home viewing

3 December 2020

Leicester’s Curve has cancelled a concert version of Sunset Boulevard due to coronavirus restrictions but the production will be filmed and available online.

Brexit impact play to have online staging

3 December 2020

Notnow Collective is to stage a free online performance of its show Pepper and Honey which was due to tour in autumn 2020 and was cancelled due to the COVID pandemic.

Celebrating Manchester's stories

3 December 2020

Manchester’s Royal Exchange has started the countdown to Christmas with stories that celebrate the streets and voices of the city.

Tracing Movement's filmed dance piece Rebound

3 December 2020

Tracing Movement's Rebound is a filmed dance piece performed onstage at Theatre Royal Stratford East directed and choreographed by Stuart Winter.

Derby Theatre moves Little Mermaid online

3 December 2020

All in-person performances of Mike Kenny’s The Little Mermaid at Derby Theatre have been cancelled as the city has entered tier three COVID restrictions.

A Christmas Carol experience

3 December 2020

Zach Pierce is a Bolton-based theatre producer developing a festive audio play.

Oldham Advent Calendar on air

3 December 2020

From December 1–24, Oldham Coliseum Theatre will air a short play on a festive theme each day.

West Midlands finds it gets lighter from here

1 December 2020

A “virtual day of hope and positivity”, showcasing 60-second digital commissions from organisations across the West Midlands, is to mark the longest night and shortest day of the year.

Crooked Spire murder mystery to be free online

30 November 2020

A medieval murder mystery musical set in the aftermath of a global pandemic, The Crooked Spire (Windlass Edition), will be available free online from Derbyshire's Ashgate Heritage Arts.

Northampton venue to stage online murder mystery

28 November 2020

Audiences can enjoy an interactive theatrical experience by Zoom when Northampton’s Royal and Derngate stages an online murder mystery, Sherlock in Homes.

Hereford Christmas show to have live stream

27 November 2020

The Courtyard Hereford’s annual children’s Christmas show is to go ahead with a difference, with a live stream of Hansel and Gretel from its main stage.

James Cousins new dance project

27 November 2020

In Search of Sanctuary explores four dancers' changing relationship to dance over the events of the last year across lockdown, the recent BLM and 'new normal'.

Open Clasp’s Sugar on the BBC

25 November 2020

Open Clasp’s Sugar, the stories of three women caught up in the criminal justice system, is available on the BBC iPlayer.

Hot to Trott for COVID heroes

24 November 2020

If you know someone who has achieved something great during the coronavirus crisis and would like a special message from Oldham Coliseum’s Dame Dotty Trott, then hurry!

Octagon entertains online

24 November 2020

Bolton Octagon has a programme of online events to entertain audiences this December.

UK dance festive season

23 November 2020

A festive season round-up of UK dance, November to December 2020.

From live play to audio recording

18 November 2020

The November Club reimagines its proposed 2020 touring production as a collection of audio stories.

A new work from balletLORENT

17 November 2020

balletLORENT releases a new short film this week.

Panto magic from Oldham

15 November 2020

Oldham Coliseum Theatre is offering a new kind of panto magic for 2020.

Decision for Buxton Fringe to go online “vindicated”

14 November 2020

A rush of entries in June vindicated a decision by Buxton Fringe to go ahead with a mainly online programme in 2020.

The Five Plays of Christmas

13 November 2020

Newcastle’s Live Theatre is giving its audience a Christmas present of five new plays

Festival unlocks audiences at Nottingham Playhouse

13 November 2020

Nottingham Playhouse sold thousands of tickets to people from 29 countries for nine shows during its Unlocked Festival.

Birmingham REP stages immersive children’s show

13 November 2020

Birmingham REP and Northern Ireland-based Cahoots NI are to stage an immersive digital show for children, The University of Wonder and Imagination.

Tribute to David Toole film online

13 November 2020

Artificial Things, a film of the Stopgap Dance Company performance directed by Sophie Fiennes and choreographed by Lucy Bennett, is to be shown on BBC 4.

RSC to open up again with Tales for Winter

12 November 2020

Royal Shakespeare Company's winter 2020 programme includes “stripped-back, warm-up events”, a reading by David Walliams from The Boy in the Dress and a retelling of the Trojan war.

A virtual triple dance bill

10 November 2020

Newcastle-based Eliot Smith Dance is to replace its proposed autumn 2020 season with a digital performance of three new works.

Northern Stage reveals 2020 Christmas show

9 November 2020

An altogether revealing announcement from Northern Stage: its Christmas show will be The Emperor’s New Clothes.

Digital, down by the Waterside

8 November 2020

Waterside arts centre in Sale, Greater Manchester, has launched a new digital hub.

ENB on-demand video platform launched

6 November 2020

English National Ballet’s on-demand video platform, ENB at Home, has now launched with two services: Ballet on Demand, featuring ballet productions available for rent, and BalletActive ballet-based classes, available by subscription.

Women in Lockdown film to have online première

3 November 2020

A short film exploring the lives of women across Birmingham and the Black Country during lockdown is to have its free première on YouTube.

Star-studded line-up for new RSC Talking Shakespeare series

3 November 2020

Ian McKellen, Helen Mirren, Roger Allam, David Oyelowo and Jane Lapotaire have been confirmed for the second series of Talking Shakespeare hosted by the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Belgrade commemorates 80th anniversary of Coventry Blitz

3 November 2020

Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Coventry Blitz by revisiting its play One Night in November.

Manchester Festival's online 'one-off'

1 November 2020

Riz Ahmed will give a one-off livestream performance of The Long Goodbye on December 19.

Noir première put back

1 November 2020

The online première of original new play Noir will now be making its debut on February 13–14.

GIFT to be a leader of England's Performing Arts Showcase Consortium

31 October 2020

The Gateshead International Festival of Theatre is one of six organisations leading a new flagship International Showcase celebrating performance created in England.

More actors employed by online secret-agent game

30 October 2020

A series of online, secret agent-themed immersive adventures has trebled its workforce of actors as people across the country turn to online entertainment and virtual socialising.

Digital queer festival “a venture into the unknown”

29 October 2020

Festival of queer arts and culture SHOUT's 2020 festival will take place entirely online featuring more than 30 events “that speak to issues relevant to the LGBTQIA+ community right now”.

E-learning platform to help future artistic directors

29 October 2020

The UK's first organisation dedicated to creating change at leadership level, Artistic Directors of the Future, has introduced an online tool, ADF Bite-Size.

World Ballet Day 2020 update

28 October 2020

The "biggest ever global celebration of dance" will live-stream on 29 October 2020.

Opera North's festive Couch to Chorus

28 October 2020

Following the success of the digital choir in the summer, a special Festive Edition of Opera North's From Couch to Chorus starts in November.

Join the Marathon!

28 October 2020

A unique music theatre collaboration invites new participants.

Miller to direct film of Crooked Spire musical

28 October 2020

Andrew Miller will direct The Crooked Spire, Ashgate Heritage Arts’ medieval murder mystery musical adapted from Chris Nickson’s novel of the same name.

An online Halloween

26 October 2020

A collection of short audio stories for Halloween made in the North East will première on Halloween.

Metta helps the arts go green

26 October 2020

Climate crisis solutions for arts organisations on offer from new consultancy.

One Dance UK online awards

24 October 2020

One Dance UK is moving its annual awards ceremony online format this year.

Soldier Songs

Music and libretto by David T Little, screenplay by James Darrah and Johnatha...

The Merry Wives of Windsor

William Shakespeare

How Do You Make a Cup of Tea?

Kellan Frankland

Lucia di Lammermoor

Gaetano Donizetti, libretto by Salvadore Cammarano

Kennedy: Bobby’s Last Crusade

David Arrow

Capriccio

Richard Strauss, Libretto by Clemens Krauss and Richard Strauss

Armida

Gioachino Rossini, Libretto by Giovanni Schmidt based on Torquato Tasso’s epi...

Glorious Jim

Nick Ahad

The African Company Presents Richard III

Carlyle Brown

Waiting for Obama

John Moore

Behind the Beyond

Stephen Leacock adapted by Brian Cano

Talking to Angie

Ronnie Dorsey

Misorientation

Alice Walker

The Same Rain That Falls On Me

Logan Jones

Readymade Cabaret 2.0

The Company

Three Stages

Nia Williams

Over on Grim Street

Lucy-Jo Finnighan

Ally Sloper's Half Holiday

Chris Harris

To me, that's what love is

Becky Hinde, Cordelia Tarbooke and Joshua Thomas

Tomatoes Tried to Kill Me But Banjos Saved My Life

Keith Alessi

Project Spudway

Lori Hamilton

The Sign

James Coare with additional material by Scott Cain and Perry Pullman

Good Enough

Ted McGrath and Patrick Combs

Rosegold

Donna Kay Yarborough

The Meat Cabaret

The Company; music and lyrics by Lawrence Hart and Isabelle Woolley

Effing Robots: How I Taught the A.I. to Stop Worrying and Love Humans

L Nicol Cabe

Bard Overboard presents: a Global Pandemic Holiday Special

Harris Solomon

Four Minute Warning

Sam Went

Strangers

Nick Card

Scammed

Joan Greening

GirlPlay

Sarah Richardson

Walk of Shame

Stephanie Silver and Amelia Marshall Lovsey

Alive

Jenny Stafford

Twenties

Charlotte Anne Tilley

Borders and Crossings

Inua Ellams

Trip The Light

Joyce Branagh

Rich Kids: A History of Shopping Malls in Tehran

Javaad Alipoor

Days to Come

Lillian Hellman

Adriana Lecouvreur

Francesco Cilea, Libretto by Arturo Colautti

Tosca

Composed by Giacomo Puccini, libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, b...

Like Water

Concept, choreography & direction by Mthuthuzeli November

Start the Week with Sir Nicholas Hytner

Andrew Marr and Sir Nicholas Hytner

The Well

Ellie Rose

Hansel and Gretel

Englebert Humperdinck, libretto by Adelheide Wett

Dick Whittington

Jude Christian and Cariad Lloyd

Nurse Nellie Saves Panto

Paul Hendy

The Theatre Channel Episode Four: Hopeful Holidays

Various

Sunset Boulevard

Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, book & lyrics by Don Black & Christopher Hampto...

The Secret Theatre

Choreography by Christopher Hampson & Peter Darrell, music by Pyotr Ilyich Tc...

Living Newspaper: Edition 2

Ryan Calais Cameron, Si’an Chen, Yuqun Fan, Tom Fowler, Nick Gill, Ruby Holde...

Beauty and the Beast

Peter Pan – A Musical Adventure

Music by George Stiles, lyrics by Antony Drewe, version by Elliot Davis based...

The Nutcracker

Choreography by Peter Wright, Lev Ivanov, Vincent Redmon, adaptation by David...

Cinderella

Tom Whalley

Boris Godunov

Modest Mussorgsky, Libretto based on play by Alexander Pushkin

We Begin Again

James Graham, music by Jim Fortune

Duckie

Le Gateau Chocolat and Tommy Bradson

Snow White in the Seven Months of Lockdown

John Savournin & David Eaton

A King and No King

Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher

Christmas with the Hobs

Becci Sharrock, music by Bridie Jackson and animation by Sheila Graber

The Intervention

Mike Bartlett

The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny

Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht

Troy Story

Homer

The Emperor’s New Clothes

Devised by Mark Calvert, Hannah Goudie-Hunter, Laura Lindow and Bob Nicholson...

Arbuthnot and Dame Bella’s Christmas Adventure

Davey Hopper and Jen Stevens, with additional material by Ray Spencer, music ...

Caesar and Cleopatra

George Bernard Shaw

5 Plays of Christmas

Olu Alakija, Ellen McNally, Benjamin Storey, Sarah Tarbit and Mandi Chivasa

The Magic of Christmas

Russell Beard and Elizabeth Newman, based on a short play by Elizabeth Newman...

Dick Whittington

Paul Hendy

Far From the Madding Crowd

Thomas Hardy, adapted by Mark Healy

Sadler’s Wells Global Gala

The Tempest

William Shakespeare

Jack and the Beanstalk

Peter Duncan

Carmen

Georges Bizet, libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on a play ...

The Fabulist Fox Sister

Luke Bateman & Michael Conley

Virtual Triple Bill: Onward / Messiah / TroY

Choreography by Jake Vincent / Mark Baldwin / Eliot Smith

The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk

Daniel Jamieson

Aida

Giuseppe Verdi, Libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni

Mustard

Eva O'Connor

Eugene Onegin

Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky, libretto by Tchaikovsky and Konstantin Shilovsky, b...

Conversation with Marilyn

Kim and Nathalie Haley

Death of England: Delroy

Clint Dyer and Roy Williams

The Theatre Channel Episode Three: The Rock Episode

Various Artists

Adventures in Film: Nostos, Little Grasses, Checkmate

Tasha Chu, Anjali Mehra, Monique Jonas

Die Another Dame!

Emma Crocombe

Fibres

Frances Poet

Marnie

Nico Muhly, libretto by Nicholas Wright, based on the novel by Winston Graham

Take Five Blues / Senseless Kindness / Laid in Earth / Echoes / Jolly Folly

Choreographers Stina Quagebeur, Yuri Possokhov, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Russell...

Falling Stars

Peter Polycarpou

Killer Queen

Kieran Mason

Ariodante

George Frideric Handel

Dialogues des Carmélites

Francis Poulenc

Cycles of My Being

Tyshawn Sorey, with lyrics by Terrance Hayes and Lawrence Brownlee

Elizabeth Rex

Timothy Findley with Paul Thompson

Marry Me a Little

Conceived by Craig Lucas and Norman René, with music and lyrics by Stephen So...

The Aftermath

Anna Holmes and Sam Ford

Rusalka

Antonin Dvořák, libretto by Jaroslav Kvapil

Estella Scrooge: A Christmas Carol with a Twist

Book by John Caird and Paul Gordon, Music and Lyrics by Paul Gordon

The Courage to Right a Woman’s Wrongs (Valor, agravio y mujer)

Ana Caro

Romeo and Juliet

William Shakespeare

The Royal Ballet: Live – Within the Golden Hour

Peter Grimes

Benjamin Britten, Libretto by Montagu Slater

15 Heroines: The Labyrinth

Bryony Lavery, Timberlake Wertenbaker, Samantha Ellis, Natalie Haynes and Jul...

Emilia

Morgan Lloyd Malcolm

15 Heroines: The Desert

April de Angelis, Isley Lynn, Chinonyerem Odimba, Stella Duffy and Lorna French

15 Heroines: The War

Lettie Precious, Sabrina Mahfouz, Charlotte Jones, Abi Zakarian and Hannah Kh...

The Soldier's Return

Libretto by Jacob Polley; composed by Marcos Fernandez-Barrero

Posta Aerea

Giuditta Mingucci and Rosie MacPherson

Long Day’s Journey into Night

Eugene O’Neill

Semiramide

Gioachino Rossini, libretto by Gaetano Rossi, based on a play by Voltaire

Phoenix

Mike Bartlett

Orfeo ed Euridice

Christoph Willibald Gluck, libretto by Ranieri de' Calzabigi

Two

Jim Cartwright

What a Carve Up!

Henry Filloux-Bennett, based on the novel by Jonathan Coe

The Theatre Channel Episode Two: Halloween

Various Artists

La Traviata

Giuseppe Verdi, Libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, based on La Dame Aux Camél...

In Tandem

Travis Alabanza and Magdalena Zarębska-Wegrzyn

La voix humaine

Poulenc

The Real Inspector Hound

Tom Stoppard

Bubble

James Graham

Decolonisation—not just a buzzword…

Love Bugged

David Viney

A Ray of Light

8 January 2021

At the end of a shocking week, Philip Fisher enthuses about the future of online theatre.

NE theatre in 2020, as seen from our house (mainly)

31 December 2020

Peter Lathan tries to cheer himself up by taking a light-hearted look at the theatre year in the North East but finds it’s not that easy.