Last night the National Theatre broadcast its new production of Othello to hundreds of cinemas around the world. IAM‘s Claire Ramtuhul gives her verdict – and gets your say.
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from my first NT Live experience. Would seeing the production hundreds of miles away on the big screen match the immediacy of watching it on stage? Would the cameras be able to pick up on all the action and subtleties within the play?
It soon became clear I had no reason to doubt. This proved to be a stunning production, with the NT Live set really doing justice to the breathtaking performances of Adrian Lester as Othello and Rory Kinnear as Iago. Slick camera changes allowed the audience to view the action closer than any front row theatre seat can offer, ensuring all the energy and tension from the London stage was palpable miles away in Manchester.
The cinema was packed, which just goes to show the kind of thirst there is for great theatre. And thanks to a creative approach to digital technology, so many more people can enjoy the shows that would previously necessitate an expensive trip to the capital.
But what did everyone else think? I took a look at the reactions to Othello on the silver screen.
http://storify.com/IntArtsManager/nt-live-othello-the-reaction