National Theatre Live will partner with the Royal Court and Playful Productions to broadcast Hangmen from London’s West End. The play will be captured and projected in Sony 4K digital cinema across Vue Cinemas’ chain of 84 theatres. The production marks the fourth collaboration in the year-long partnership between National Theatre Live, Vue Entertainment and Sony Digital Cinema 4K, which has already seen productions of Behind the Beautiful Forevers, The Beaux Strategem and Hamlet hit the big screen from the stage. Working closely with its production partners, Sony has taken plays from different environments, including the Olivier Theatre, The Barbican and the Wyndhams Theatre, to the cinema screen.
Directed by Matthew Dunster, Martin McDonagh’s Hangmen sees The Walking Dead’s David Morrissey return to the West End. The production marks The National Theatre’s first collaboration with the Royal Court, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. The production will capture McDonagh’s dark and comic play as it moves between hard-hitting scenes centred in a pub and a prison.
The production will be shot in 4K and delivered for exclusive screenings to Vue customers around the country on March 22 as a 4K digital cinema package.
“Hangmen stood out as a great choice for capturing in 4K,” said National Theatre Live producer, Emma Keith. “We’re able to bring more color and depth to the scenes, with the ability to enhance the storytelling through 4K. The detail with which audiences can see the action is outstanding, and this is set to be another one of a kind production.”
Hangmen will be captured using six Sony PMW-F55 cameras and is being produced with Soho Digital Cinema, NEP Visions and Presteigne. Audiences at Vue Cinemas around the country will exclusively be able to experience the on-stage action in 4K.
“Presented in Sony 4K, this visual production pushes the rapidly-evolving boundaries of event cinema,” said David McIntosh, vice president, Sony Digital Cinema 4K Solutions for Europe and the Americas. “This production is the culmination of a very successful and rewarding first year with National Theatre Live and Vue Entertainment which has bought outstanding theatre to audiences across the country. We’re committed to working with partners to pioneer the most impactful experiences for consumers whether that’s helping our exhibitors show the latest blockbusters in the best possible quality or changing the game of event cinema. Sony is working from capture right through to delivery in 4K with the productions under the partnership and Hangmen is yet another example of this in practice.”
Kevin Styles, managing director (UK & Ireland) of Vue Entertainment. “At Vue we place entertainment and digital innovation at the heart of our services and we are proud to bring this exclusive 4K production to our customers. Importantly, those customers who wouldn’t normally be able to access such fantastic theatrical productions can now not only enjoy the thrill of live events but can do so in the most technically innovative way in the best seat in the house.”
Sony Digital Cinema http://www.sony.co.uk/pro/products/digital-cinema
National Theatre Live http://www.ntlive.com