National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage

Celebrating 50 years of performances and broadcast live on BBC2 is a celebration of the National Theatre's 50th anniversary, directed by Nicholas Hytner.

The National Theatre has always has its ups and down and courted controversy even from the days when Lord Laurence Olivier headed it.

This was a two and half hour live show with a Who's Who of British Theatre. Among the cast and performing live, Roger Allam, Simon Russell Beale, James Corden, Benedict Cumberbatch, Frances de la Tour, Judi Dench, Christopher Eccleston, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Derek Jacobi, Alex Jennings, Adrian Lester, Anna Maxwell Martin, Helen Mirren, Andrew Scott, Penelope Wilton, Maggie Smith.

Highlights were excerpts from the variety of plays put on by the National Theatre. For me Ralph Fiennes stepping into the shoes of Anthony Hopkins in Pravda was magnificent.

Christopher Eccleston stepping into the shoes of John Thaw in The Absence of War was compelling.

There was a nice turn from James Corden for One man, Two guvnors, as well as Helen Mirren in Mourning becomes Electra. The controversial Jerry Springer: The Opera also recreated a scene.

The performances were so good it was hard to believe these excerpts were being performed live and broadcast. A televisual treat.

You will enjoy this more if you know a bit about the Royal National Theatre, such as that it was founded in 1963, and is one of the United Kingdom's most prominent publicly funded performing arts institutions. Many of the most well known British actors have appeared in its productions, which include dramas, comedies, classics, new plays and musicals. In 2009, the theatre began National Theatre Live (NT Live), a simulcast of live productions shown in cinemas, first in the United Kingdom and then internationally. In celebration of its 50 years of performances, this special event was put together and broadcast live as well, and is shown in the USA as a part of PBS' Great Performances.

The number of A-list actors and number of well-known plays this theatre featured at one time or another makes this show worth watching - you will find yourself saying more than once, "Wow, he/she was at the National Theatre? They did THAT play there?!." But that said, it was probably more satisfying watching this live, knowing that this was all happening in real time as you were watching, than it is to watch it recorded. The actors do a remarkable job of reaching emotional highs and creating compelling, honest moments in the snippets of plays they recreate from a variety of productions, however, you feel cheated when those brief moments end - just when you're getting into the characters and the moment, whoosh, it's over and we've moved on. Also, a few actors feel like they are just reciting something pretty, not really creating a moment.

If you love live theatre, or any of the actors featured, you will enjoy this. If you appreciate the history and grandeur of the National Theatre, you will enjoy this even more.