This week, Cultural Picks brings you powerful storytelling with Les Blancs from the National Theatre, exclusive sessions live from artists’ homes presented by the Royal Albert Hall, beautiful dance with Celtic Tiger and the much-anticipated movie adaption of Broadway hit Hamilton, starring Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Les Blancs

National Theatre at home will be streaming Les Blancs, a powerful story following Tshembe, who returns home to Africa from England for his father’s funeral and finds himself in the eye of the storm as his country is teetering on the edge of civil war.

Yaël Farber (Mies Julie, Nirbhaya) directs the final play by Lorraine Hansberry (A Raisin in the Sun): a brave, illuminating and powerful work that confronts the hope and tragedy of revolution. This archive recording was captured by the National Theatre in 2016.

Watch online from July 3 here.

Watch the trailer here:

Royal Albert Hall at Home

This week, Royal Albert Hall at Home is presenting two exclusive sessions from artists’ homes, beamed right into your living room.

Guy Chambers – July 2

Guy Chambers is the writer behind songs we know from the radio, from the movies, and from the dance floor. Songs we know from our parties and our weddings. Songs that half the world can sing along to note for note. Songs that take us back in time to where we used to be.

His famous collaboration with Robbie Williams has produced seminal hits such as Angels, Let Me Entertain You, Strong, No Regrets, Millennium, Rock DJ and Feel. He has also worked with Texas, Katie Melua and Beverly Knight amongst others.

Watch online here.

Nicola Benedetti – July 3

Nicola is among the most sought-after violinists of her generation. She won the 2020 Grammy Award for Best Classical Instrumental Solo, and was named Best Female Artist at both the 2012 and 2013 Classical BRIT Awards.

She has played the Hall on numerous occasions, including the 2012 Last Night of the Proms as well as two headline concerts. She is a long-standing supporter of the Hall’s Education & Outreach programme and has hosted a number of workshops for young musicians.

Watch online here.

Celtic Tiger

From July 3, Michael Flatley’s hit Celtic Tiger will be presented for free on the Shows Must Go on YouTube by Universal.

The Irish dance show was first seen in 2005, touring North America, Europe and Asia over the following months. Flatley starred in the piece, as well as producing, choreographing and directing it. Flatley’s other productions include Lord of the Dance and Riverdance.

You can watch Celtic Tiger from July 3 for 48 hours here.

Hamilton 

The movie version of Hamilton makes its way to Disney Plus on July 3. It is a little different from other big-screen adaptations of hit musicals – as rather than being a film remake of the show, this is a straight adaptation of a live performance of the show on Broadway, filmed over three nights in 2016. As an added bonus, it also gives fans the chance to see its creator Lin-Manuel Miranda in the title role – along with many of the original cast members.

Hamilton tells the story of Alexander Hamilton, one of the founding fathers of the United States, and features a very diverse cast, recalling the America of the past with the America of today. The music of the show is powered by hip-hop and R&B, as well as more pop stylings and showtunes.

Sign up to Disney Plus here.

Watch the trailer for Hamilton: