National Theatre's 50th Birthday Extravaganza
November 3, 2013 8:51 AM   Subscribe

Not a bad cast ... Last night, London's National Theatre staged a two-and-a-half hour show to celebrate its 50th birthday, using extracts from many of the best plays it's put on during that period. Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Derek Jacobi, Michael Gambon, Benedict Cumberpatch, Simon Russell Beale, Ralph Finnes, Helen Mirren, Francis de la Tour, Alan Bennett, Christopher Eccleston, Penelope Wilton, Rory Kinnear, Roger Allam and Anna Maxwell Martin were all among those taking part. The BBC screened 135 minutes of the show live, and it can still be seen on the iPlayer till November 9. The Telegraph and The Guardian joined the applause.
posted by Paul Slade (16 comments total) 4 users marked this as a favorite
 
Never understood why the BBC would block people outside the UK from using the iPlayer, when you can easily listen to any BBC radio station online. If bandwidth costs are the only consideration, then surely they can make the money back via advertising or just have Google front the costs by posting it on youtube.
posted by anewnadir at 8:58 AM on November 3, 2013


I don't get it either, but I'm sure they are mainly just erring on the side of caution. They are nationally owned (yes?) and really only exist to make their taxpayers happy and educated.
posted by SkinnerSan at 9:16 AM on November 3, 2013


Also, BBC America is a normal for-profit cable channel though (again, no research, I'm just Ameri-suiming) and they may want to license and broadcast at another time.
posted by SkinnerSan at 9:20 AM on November 3, 2013


Never understood why the BBC would block people outside the UK from using the iPlayer

Two reasons: syndication income in foreign markets (for content the BBC owns) and licensing restrictions (for content the BBC does not own).
posted by MuffinMan at 9:20 AM on November 3, 2013


BBC Worldwide is a for-profit subsidiary of the BBC which sells licensing for the BBC's contents abroad. They make money from that (hundreds of millions of pounds) and allowing foreign viewers to use the iPlayer would undermine those efforts.

More confusingly, the BBC.com website is actually blocked in the UK *because* it has adverts. Essentially the BBC believe that showing adverts next to license-fee funded content to UK users is worse than blocking it completely. Geographical licensing can often be completely barmy. Fortunately if you're determined there's always ways round it.
posted by leo_r at 9:39 AM on November 3, 2013


Oh oh oh! Cool! This will be great to wa... oh. *pouts*
posted by hippybear at 9:41 AM on November 3, 2013


Back on topic... It was a terrific and unmitigated luvvy-fest, and at times I was totally lost by some of the scenes, but despite all that, it was pretty marvellous. Judi Dench's Send in the Clowns and Andrew Scott's Angels in America were particularly amazing.

It also made me feel immensely grateful to my parents, because as the show unfolded, I realised just how many things we'd been to see at the National as we grew up. Middle class? Me?
posted by penguin pie at 9:59 AM on November 3, 2013 [2 favorites]


If you are interested in the founding of the National Theatre rather than the star-studded anniversary extravaganza, there is a two part Radio 4 documentary available to stream indefinitely worldwide: The Road to the National Theatre: Part 1 & Part 2

No pictures though, you must make do with the theatre of the mind.
posted by Quinbus Flestrin at 10:01 AM on November 3, 2013


Also, one notable absence from the star-studded audience was Olivier Award-winning playwright Simon Stephens, who has had plenty of work produced at the National, but was instead celebrating an early bonfire night with his wife and kids.

They marked the occasion by burning a Guy dressed as Michael Gove (Secretary of State for Education, who has just announced plans to abolish GCSE drama in English schools).

Respect.
posted by penguin pie at 10:13 AM on November 3, 2013


Oh oh oh! Cool! This will be great to wa... oh. *pouts*
posted by hippybear at 9:41 AM on November 3 [+] [!]


Sorry, Hippybear, I didn't mean to tease. When I posted this, I wasn't aware the BBC iPlayer blocked American viewers. In fact, the whole reason behind my post was to give Americans a chance to see the programme, and that's why I loaded the list above with as many transatlantic stars as possible.
posted by Paul Slade at 10:23 AM on November 3, 2013


It's cool. It's possible that this will turn up on BBC America. It's also possible that it is someplace else online, should I decide to dig that deeply into the dark corners of the interwebs.
posted by hippybear at 10:24 AM on November 3, 2013


Having trouble seeing outside UK? (cough)
posted by twsf at 10:41 AM on November 3, 2013 [7 favorites]


Is Benedict Cumberpatch the slightly more handsome cousin of Grumpy Bandersnatch?
posted by Dr. Zira at 11:03 AM on November 3, 2013 [2 favorites]


Interestingly (or not) Stephen Fry's show QI can't get syndicate internationally due to all the large images projected behind the panel which they can't get copyright clearances for.
posted by gallois at 11:39 AM on November 3, 2013


(twsf's link is a thing of beauty and a joy forever.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:50 PM on November 3, 2013


Firefox users might want to investigate an extension called Media Hint.
posted by bcarter3 at 10:29 PM on November 3, 2013


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