The best theatre to stream this month: big and bold Bacchae ushers in new era at the National

National Theatre's Olivier Theatre Launches New Era with Vibrant Productions

The National Theatre (NT) has kicked off its new artistic director, Indhu Rubasingham, with a bang, launching her tenure with two bold productions that promise to shake up the theatre scene. The first, "Bacchae," directed by Nima Taleghani and featuring Kate Prince's choreography, is set to premiere at NT at Home on February 6th.

The modern retelling of Euripides' classic tragedy boasts a self-styled "raucous Greek chorus" led by Clare Perkins, promising an immersive experience that blends dance, music, and drama. Rubasingham, the new artistic director, has already proven her vision with this high-energy production, which will undoubtedly resonate with audiences.

Another highly anticipated release is the BBC's "Kiss Me, Kate," a classic Cole Porter musical about Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew." This 2024 production stars Adrian Dunbar and Stephanie J Block as sparring partners, bringing their unique chemistry to the stage. The Barbican Centre will also host this musical, available on BBC iPlayer.

In stark contrast to the lightheartedness of the musicals, "LaHorde: Desire, Revolt and Refuge" is a documentary that delves into the story of French collective (La)Horde, who took over the National Ballet of Marseille and opened up its doors. The film explores how dance became a refuge for self-expression, shedding light on social media's influence on their work.

Dance enthusiasts won't want to miss "Trouble," an unsettling documentary by Laura Bachman that follows dancer Marion Barbeau as she navigates fear and claustrophobia in two tense scenes set on a crowded bus and in a nightclub. The close-ups capture the intensity of each performance, bringing the viewer face-to-face with the performer's fears.

Last but not least, fans of Judi Dench can catch "The Twelfth Night Reunion," an enchanting evening featuring speeches and song from some of Shakespeare's most iconic roles, including Dench herself. The Orange Tree in Richmond will host this intimate production, available on YouTube.

Lastly, for those who prefer a more low-key experience, the seductive "Poor Judge" by Pig Iron theatre company is now available online. This noirish dance-theatre cabaret features Aimee Mann's songs and promises to be an immersive experience that will transport viewers into a world of dark passion and desire.

Finally, with spring on its way, the NT invites audiences to bid farewell to winter and indulge in "The Winter's Tale," a 1998 RSC staging directed by Gregory Doran and designed by Robert Jones. Set against the backdrop of Bohemia, this tragicomedy will transport viewers to an enchanting world.

Lastly, audio drama enthusiasts can look forward to the BBC Audio Drama Awards finalists, which include three nominees for best original single drama: "The Final Touch," "One Hundred and Fifty Days," and "Sleaze." The winner will be announced on March 1st.

just watched a trailer for Bacchae at NT's Olivier Theatre and I'm already HYPED Kate Prince's choreo looks insane, Clare Perkins as the raucous Greek chorus? bring it on! But seriously, who else is ready to get their theatre fix with all these amazing productions coming up? from "Kiss Me, Kate" to "LaHorde: Desire...and everything in between"... sounds like a wild ride . And don't even get me started on "Trouble" - just what I needed to shake off the winter blues

omg I'm so hyped about the new productions at the National Theatre ! Indhu Rubasingham's vision is already showing, especially with that raucous Greek chorus in Bacchae and the Cole Porter musical Kiss Me, Kate is gonna be SO much fun . But what really caught my attention is LaHorde: Desire, Revolt and Refuge - I've been following their story online for ages and it's so inspiring to see how dance became a refuge for self-expression . And can we talk about the documentaries? Trouble by Laura Bachman had me on edge and Poor Judge by Pig Iron theatre company is giving me all the dark, noir vibes . Anyone else excited to dive into these new productions?

Just saw the trailer for Bacchae at NT at Home It's gonna be a wild ride! Love how they're pushing boundaries with this modern retelling of Euripides' classic... been waiting for this production since I heard it was coming and now we get to experience it all thanks to NT's new artistic director, Indhu Rubasingham . Can't wait to see Clare Perkins leading that raucous Greek chorus !

just saw that national theatre is kicking off its new era with some sick productions they're doing a modern retelling of bacchae which sounds hella immersive with a raucous greek chorus led by clare perkins - cant wait to see it! and also heard about kiss me, kate which is gonna be so much fun with adrian dunbar and stephanie j block its been ages since i've seen a good musical. but i'm also low-key excited for la horde: desire, revolt and refuge - love how the national theatre is using their platform to explore social media's influence on dance what do you guys think about these new productions?

OMG, I'm so excited for the new era at the National Theatre! The Olivier Theatre is about to get a major reboot with those two bold productions - 'Bacchae' sounds AMAZING! I mean, a raucous Greek chorus led by Clare Perkins? That's gonna be so much fun! And Cole Porter's musical 'Kiss Me, Kate'? Classic! I'm already imagining the chemistry between Adrian Dunbar and Stephanie J Block...

And then there's 'LaHorde: Desire, Revolt and Refuge', which sounds like such an important docu. Shedding light on social media's influence on dance? That's so relevant! And 'Trouble' with Marion Barbeau? Chilling vibes only!

But what really got me excited is the upcoming 'The Twelfth Night Reunion' - Judi Dench?! That's like a dream come true for any Shakespeare fan!

Lastly, I'm intrigued by Pig Iron theatre company's 'Poor Judge'. Dark passion and desire sounds like an immersive experience... can't wait to dive in!

just saw that the national theatre is launching a new era with some bold productions the self-styled raucous greek chorus in bacchae sounds like a wild ride and i love that they're bringing back kiss me, kate but what's up with all the documentaries? are we really just gonna watch people talk about themselves for 2 hours?

I'm so hyped about the new productions at National Theatre! They're really pushing the boundaries with "Bacchae" - I love that they're bringing in Clare Perkins to lead the raucous Greek chorus, it's gonna be lit ! And I'm also stoked for "Kiss Me, Kate" - who doesn't love Cole Porter, right? The BBC's getting in on the action with this production and I need to get tickets ASAP . And can we talk about "LaHorde: Desire, Revolt and Refuge"? That doc is giving me all the feels - how amazing that dance became a refuge for self-expression. I'm also super intrigued by "Trouble" - it sounds like an intense ride . Lastly, Judi Dench in "The Twelfth Night Reunion" is just a must-see - I need to book my ticket ASAP too !

omg u guys!! the national theatre just dropped a list of upcoming shows that are literally going to blow our minds! first off, bacchae with kate prince's choreo is giving me LIFE and i need to see the "raucous greek chorus" ASAP . but what really caught my eye was la horde: desire, revolt and refuge - it's like, how cool would you want to be part of a collective that takes over a ballet company? plus, the barbican centre is hosting kiss me, kate which sounds like so much fun with adrian dunbar and stephanie j block . meanwhile, trouble by laura bachman is giving me major anxiety vibes but in a good way? can't wait for judi dench's reunion and the pig iron theatre company's poor judge online - anything that brings us into a world of dark passion & desire

just saw this news about National Theatre's new era & i'm stoked!! indhu rubasingham is bringing some fresh vibes to the theatre scene with those bold productions bacchae, kiss me kate, and la horde are giving me all the feels and i love how they're trying out different formats like docos & audio dramas the NT's got a lot of exciting stuff lined up for us this year can't wait to dive in!

"omg I'm so hyped about the new productions at the National Theatre! 'Bacchae' sounds like a wild ride and I love that they're doing a modern retelling of Euripides' classic tragedy. And who doesn't love a good Cole Porter musical? 'Kiss Me, Kate' is definitely on my watchlist for this year... been there done that though! Also, I'm intrigued by the documentary 'LaHorde: Desire, Revolt and Refuge', how fascinating to see how dance became a refuge for self-expression . And 'Trouble' sounds like a really intense doc, gonna have to check that one out too Can't wait to see what Indhu Rubasingham has in store for the theatre scene this year! "

I'm loving this new direction NT is taking Indhu Rubasingham's bold productions are going to shake things up for sure! I mean, a raucous Greek chorus in "Bacchae" sounds like so much fun - Clare Perkins as the lead, I'm sold already . And the BBC's "Kiss Me, Kate" with Adrian Dunbar and Stephanie J Block, that's some top-notch talent right there! The documentary series too, exploring the world of dance and social media... it's going to be fascinating to see how they delve into LaHorde's story .

OMG just heard that NT is launching its new era with two bold productions "Bacchae" and "Kiss Me, Kate" are going to shake up the theatre scene I'm so down for some high-energy drama and classic musicals! And can we talk about the documentary "LaHorde: Desire, Revolt and Refuge"? That sounds SO fascinating dance enthusiasts will love it. What's with all these amazing productions coming out this spring?

I'm not really sure why they need an artistic director to make these decisions lol. Like, can't they just leave things alone? But anyway, I'm actually kinda excited for the new productions! That "Bacchae" sound like a total wild ride - I love Kate Prince's choreography and Clare Perkins is always on point. The Cole Porter musical sounds classic too. And "Trouble" is giving me some major unease vibes... how do they even film dance performances without, you know, tripping over the dancer's feet?

The National Theatre's decision to launch its new era with such a diverse range of productions is quite intriguing . On one hand, the bold choice to retell Euripides' classic tragedy with a modern twist is likely to captivate audiences and showcase artistic director Indhu Rubasingham's vision. Meanwhile, the BBC's "Kiss Me, Kate" production promises to bring some much-needed levity to the theatre scene . The documentary series, particularly "LaHorde: Desire, Revolt and Refuge," will surely provide valuable insight into the world of dance and social media .

However, it seems that the programming is somewhat lopsided, with a few productions catering more towards niche audiences . Nonetheless, the inclusion of Judi Dench in "The Twelfth Night Reunion" will undoubtedly bring joy to fans of the acting legend . As the winter months give way to spring, the NT's production of "The Winter's Tale" promises to be a delightful escape from the chill . Overall, I think this new era under Indhu Rubasingham has some exciting offerings in store for theatre enthusiasts .

omg u guys i just saw this news about the national theatre and i am SO hyped they've got a new artistic director indhu rubasingham who's all about bringing some serious fire to the stage with these two productions "bacchae" is literally going to be insane with that raucous greek chorus led by clare perkins and then theres "kiss me, kate" which i need to see with adrian dunbar and stephanie j block - it's like they're going to shake the theatre scene to its core. and don't even get me started on the documentaries "la horde" is so relevant right now and "trouble" sounds like a real trip i'm also super stoked for the judi dench reunion thingy, she's my queen anyway can't wait for spring to arrive and the national theatre starts performing again

I'm so hyped for this new era at the National Theatre ! I've been following Indhu Rubasingham's journey to the top, and it's amazing to see her vision come to life with these bold productions . "Bacchae" is going to be EPIC, I can already imagine that raucous Greek chorus ! And "Kiss Me, Kate" sounds like so much fun . I've been waiting for a classic Cole Porter musical at the NT for ages! The documentary series is also fascinating, especially "LaHorde: Desire, Revolt and Refuge" - who knew dance could be such a powerful tool for self-expression?