Hamilton, disneyplus.com, 3rd July
The most radical—and brilliant—new musical of recent years was filmed “live” on Broadway, at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in 2016, and is scheduled for general release later this year. Disney has jumped the gun with an online release of what it describes as a leap forward in the art of “live capture” with a free month’s trial or monthly sign up. Many of the original Broadway cast figure, including creator Lin-Manuel Miranda in the title role. The show both celebrates hip-hop and raises the bar in a Richard Rodgers tradition.
A Streetcar Named Desire, dramaonlinelibrary.com
This was a great revival at the Young Vic in 2014 of Tennessee Williams’s steamy drama of hothouse confrontation and sensuality in the Deep South, with Gillian Anderson of The X-Files and Sex Education adjusting her coruscating performance as Blanche DuBois to close-up-and-personal for the National Theatre collection of classic titles. There are 30 of them now, and they come down the line from Bloomsbury publishers. Watch out, too, for Vanessa Kirby, superb as the first Princess Margaret in The Crown, as Blanche’s sister Stella.
Les Misérables, lesmis.com/concert
When Cameron Mackintosh closed the Queen’s Theatre to refurbish and rename it the Sondheim, he moved the world’s longest running musical next door to the Gielgud Theatre in a fully-costumed, lit and semi-staged concert version that many felt improved on the original stage production. Half your £9.99 download will go to NHS charities, and you get a definitive version sung by Alfie Boe, Michael Ball, Carrie Hope Fletcher, Katy Secombe, Shan Ako and Matt Lucas.
The most radical—and brilliant—new musical of recent years was filmed “live” on Broadway, at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in 2016, and is scheduled for general release later this year. Disney has jumped the gun with an online release of what it describes as a leap forward in the art of “live capture” with a free month’s trial or monthly sign up. Many of the original Broadway cast figure, including creator Lin-Manuel Miranda in the title role. The show both celebrates hip-hop and raises the bar in a Richard Rodgers tradition.
A Streetcar Named Desire, dramaonlinelibrary.com
This was a great revival at the Young Vic in 2014 of Tennessee Williams’s steamy drama of hothouse confrontation and sensuality in the Deep South, with Gillian Anderson of The X-Files and Sex Education adjusting her coruscating performance as Blanche DuBois to close-up-and-personal for the National Theatre collection of classic titles. There are 30 of them now, and they come down the line from Bloomsbury publishers. Watch out, too, for Vanessa Kirby, superb as the first Princess Margaret in The Crown, as Blanche’s sister Stella.
Les Misérables, lesmis.com/concert
When Cameron Mackintosh closed the Queen’s Theatre to refurbish and rename it the Sondheim, he moved the world’s longest running musical next door to the Gielgud Theatre in a fully-costumed, lit and semi-staged concert version that many felt improved on the original stage production. Half your £9.99 download will go to NHS charities, and you get a definitive version sung by Alfie Boe, Michael Ball, Carrie Hope Fletcher, Katy Secombe, Shan Ako and Matt Lucas.
