As the National Theatre begin their weekly broadcasts, we take a look at some of their shows which have graced the Birmingham Hippodrome stage over the years and how you can enjoy them at home.

Guys and Dolls

Some of the first contemporary visits by the National Theatre to Birmingham Hippodrome were in the 1980’s, a highlight being their production of Guys and Dolls starring Lulu as Miss Adelaide which ran from 18 May – 8 June 1985.

Take a look at footage of Lulu in the famous role below and you can also stream the 1955 classic movie starring Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra here.

Play Without Words

Hippodrome audience favourite, Matthew Bourne collaborated with the National Theatre in 2004 for his production of Play Without Words which took audiences back to the swinging sixties.

In the feature below, go behind the scenes when the production was revived in 2012 – you can also find out more about the show here.

War Horse

In 2013, the National Theatre’s multi-award winning production of War Horse came to Birmingham for the very first time, completely selling out its four-week run. The production then returned for another highly successful season in 2018.

There are several ways you can enjoy this epic tale from home. Firstly, there’s the novel by Michael Morpurgo which inspired the phenomenon, then you can stream a special behind the scenes documentary about the creation of the production with The Making of War Horse. Finally, there’s the 2011 Steven Spielberg blockbuster movie.

One Man, Two Guvnors

The hit comedy made its way to Birmingham Hippodrome in May 2014 after sell-out runs at the National Theatre’s Lyttelton, two West End transfers and a run on Broadway.

You can watch a live recording of the production for free through the National Theatre at Home initiative through until 10 April here.

From then on, National Theatre at Home will be broadcasting new productions every Thursday click here for more info.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzqcRwWVv8k&list=PLJgBmjHpqgs6WHi1g0FW7Tdf3ejvWbcL0

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

After incredible success at the National Theatre’s Cottesloe, a West End and Broadway transfer and winning seven Olivier Awards, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time first came to Birmingham Hippodrome in 2015, returning again in 2017.

You can tune in to a special BBC Learning series on YouTube which looks into the themes and creation of the production here. Another great way of enjoying this production from home is reading the extraordinary original novel by Mark Haddon here.

 There’s plenty of ways you can enjoy the magic of the National Theatre at home, make sure to share your favourite experiences with us on  Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and don’t forget the upcoming National Theatre at Home broadcasts which will be live for seven days every Thursday…

Thu 2 Apr: One Man, Two Guvnors
Thu 9 Apr: Jane Eyre
Thu 16 Apr: Treasure Island
Thu 23 Apr: Twelfth Night