We are using cookies to remember if you are logged in to this website and if you have dismissed this message. Cookies are files stored in your browser and by continuing to use our website without changing the settings on your computer you are agreeing to our use of cookies.
Director: Joel Hopkins.
Starring: Diane Keaton, Brendan Gleeson, Lesley Manville. UK 2017. 103 mins.
While looking out over the unspoilt parkland of Hampstead Heath from her attic window, American widow Emily Waters (Keaton) calls the police when she sees an unkempt man, Donald Horner (Gleeson), being attacked by thugs outside a ramshackle hut. Curious about the man she helped save from afar, she ventures out the next day to visit him and discovers that he has lived wild on the Heath for 17 years. As ruthless property developers adopt heavy-handed tactics to remove him from the area he calls home, an unlikely friendship – and then a romance – begins to blossom. With Last Chance Harvey, director Joel Hopkins demonstrated his talent for chronicling unlikely relationships, and his affinity for the Hampstead area adds resonance to this heartwarmingly quirky love story.
Director: Mike Nichols. Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft, Katharine Ross. USA 1967. 105 mins.
This archly hilarious observation of smug, middle-class American mores remains a delight half a century after its release, as callow college graduate Dustin Hoffman is seduced by Mrs Robinson (Bancroft). Bancroft’s career-defining role is perfectly matched by Katharine Ross as her daughter, who ultimately takes Benjamin’s fancy. The Graduate confirmed director Mike Nichols’ talent for socially astute storytelling, with fabulous performances from some of his generation’s finest actors.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest films of all time, this mob drama, based on Mario Puzo's novel of the same name, focuses on the powerful Italian-American crime family of Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando). When the don's youngest son, Michael (Al Pacino), reluctantly joins the Mafia, he becomes involved in the inevitable cycle of violence and betrayal. Although Michael tries to maintain a normal relationship with his wife, Kay (Diane Keaton), he is drawn deeper into the family business.
Director: Mark Webb.
Starring: Chris Evans, McKenna Grace, Lindsay Duncan. USA 2017. 101 mins.
Gifted is a moving story about choices, compassion and family, all underscored by a wicked sense of humour. Frank Adler (Evans) is a single man raising a child prodigy – his spirited young niece Mary (Grace) – in a coastal town in Florida. Frank’s plans for a normal school life for Mary are foiled when her mathematical abilities come to the attention of Frank’s formidable mother, Evelyn (Duncan), whose plans for her granddaughter threaten to separate Frank and Mary.
Directors: Nick Broomfield, Rudi Dolezal, 2017, USA/UK, 105min.
Whitney Houston was the epitome of superstar, an “American Princess,” the most awarded female artist ever. Even though Whitney had made millions of dollars, had more consecutive number ones than The Beatles, and became recognized as having one of the greatest voice of all time, she still wasn’t free to be herself and died at just 48 years old. WHITNEY "Can I Be Me" tells Whitney Houston’s incredible and poignant life story with insights from those closest to her.
Director: Roger Michell. Starring: Rachel Weisz, Sam Claflin, Iain Glen. USA/UK 2017. 106 mins.
After health problems determine that he must spend his winters in warmer climates, Ambrose (Glen), a wealthy landowner and guardian to his orphaned cousin Philip (Claflin), heads to Italy. Years later, Philip receives a letter from Ambrose announcing that he has fallen in love with and married a distant relation, the eponymous Rachel (Weisz). Soon after, Philip learns that his guardian is dangerously ill, but by the time he arrives in Italy, Ambrose is dead and Rachel has left for England, bound for her deceased husband’s estate in Cornwall. Racked by suspicion, Philip confronts Rachel, but he too soon finds himself under her beguiling spell. What is she? A femme fatale? A gold-digger? A tease? Thanks to skilled direction and first-rate performances, Roger Michell’s enticing period drama keeps the audience guessing throughout.
Swiss director Claude Barras’s debut feature is a beautifully rendered, stop-motion animation, adapted by the gifted screenwriter Céline Sciamma (Girlhood, Tomboy) from Giles Paris’s eponymous novel. The improbably nicknamed Courgette (Schlatter) is a shy, bug-eyed kid, consigned to an orphanage after his alcoholic mother’s sudden death. However, Courgette’s unhappiness is tempered by the kindly policeman who escorts him to his new home and adventures with the other misfit children – a football-loving tomboy, shy Alice and an introverted dinosaur fan – are cleverly wrought to show how lessons learnt can shape a child’s character and prepare them for adult life. The story of the growing pains of youngsters is lovingly told, the animation and colouring terrific - all brilliantly befitting the narrative of a film that’s much more than simply kids’ entertainment.
Like countless others Philippe, Michel, Andre and Patrick were labeled idiots, locked away and forgotten in violent asylums, until the 1960s, when the young philosopher Jean Vanier took a stand and secured their release - the first time in history that anyone had beaten the system. Together they created L'Arche, a commune at the edge of a beautiful forest near Paris and a quiet revolution was born. Now in his 80s and still at L'Arche, Jean has discovered something that most of us have forgotten - what it is to be human, to be foolish, and to be happy. Summer in the Forest invites us to abandon the rat race and forge new friendships. Amid the ancient trees, Philippe, Patrick, Jean and the others welcome us into their lives. If there are rules to break, they will be broken and if there is a truth to be told, they will tell it. Michel wants to share with us his war torn past, Andre is desperate for a date, and young David will prove himself a hero in the fight against the forces of evil.
Director: Patty Jenkins.
Starring: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nelson. USA 2017. 133 mins.
Since Cathy Lee Crosby burst onto the big screen as the original Wonder Woman in 1974 there have several other versions of DC Comics’ legendary female superhero, but now Israeli actress Gal Gadot (Gisele from the Fast & Furious franchise) takes centre stage as the Amazon warrior-princess after a breakout turn last year in Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice. Raised as a fearless defender of her island paradise in the early 20th century, young Diana meets Steve Trevor (Pine), an American pilot who informs her of the mighty war raging beyond her shores. Inspired to right the world’s wrong, she leaves for London to discover her true destiny and her full, unearthly powers. Gifted director Patty Jenkins (Monster) is behind the camera, overseeing a stellar cast that includes Robin Wright and Connie Nelson.
Director: Michaël Dudok De Wit. France/Belgium/Japan 2015. 81 mins.
Renowned Japanese animation giant Studio Ghibli’s first-ever international co-production is a perfect collaboration with Oscar-winning Dutch animator Michaël Dudok De Wit. The Red Turtle, almost a decade in the making, is a dialogue-free fable about a castaway on a desert island, and a touching ode to the cycle of life and the resilience of family. Presented with an elegant simplicity, the sublime visuals pack a real emotional punch. Described by critics as a ‘quiet little masterpiece’ and a ‘wordless wonder’, The Red Turtle won the Special Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section at this year’s Cannes. Michaël Dudok De Wit previously made the Oscar-winning animated short Father And Daughter in 2000.
Director: James Gunn.
Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper. USA 2017. 136 mins.
The coolest ragtag bunch of a-holes in space are back with the fate of the cosmos resting on their shoulders once more. Because anyone can save the galaxy once. As they journey across the far reaches of the universe, the Guardians attempt to solve the mystery of Peter Quill’s (Pratt) parentage. On their travels, they cross paths with old foes, new faces and an enigmatic villain in Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki), but their biggest battle might just be to keep their newfound family together. Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista and Bradley Cooper reprise their roles as Gamora, Drax and Rocket respectively, while Vin Diesel returns to voice a very naïve and goofy baby Groot. Expect another humdinger of a soundtrack.
Director: Michael Mann.
Starring: Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Val Kilmer, Tom Sizemore, Jon Voight, Diana Venora, Amy Brenneman, Ashley Judd, Natalie Portman. USA 1995. 171 mins.
Two of America’s finest, most charismatic film actors came together for the first time on screen in Michael Mann’s highly intelligent, stylish, violent thriller – and the result is electrifying. An absorbing duel between two men – one the icy cool mastermind of a criminal gang specialising in high-risk, high-yield heists (De Niro), the other the dogged detective assigned to his case (Pacino) – plays out on the battleground of contemporary LA, a moody, ever shifting city of twisted morals and crumbling relationships. Beautifully crafted, superbly paced and boasting a superlative heist gone wrong among several unforgettable sequences, Heat brought Michael Mann the recognition he long deserved as one of America's most talented directors.
Berlin, 1940. The city is paralysed by fear. When Otto and Anna's son is killed at the front, their loss drives them to an extraordinary act of resistance: they start to drop anonymous postcards all over the city, attacking Hitler and his regime. If they are caught, it means certain execution. Soon their campaign comes to the attention of Gestapo inspector Escherich (Daniel Brühl), and a murderous game of cat and mouse begins.
Alone In Berlin is based on Hans Fallada's bestselling novel, described by Primo Levi as "the greatest book ever written about German resistance to the Nazis"
This unique event, featuring Emma Thompson, will be broadcast live to cinemas nationwide from London’s world-renowned Imperial War Museum. Featuring a preview of the extraordinary film ALONE IN BERLIN, followed by a unique view of the museum’s most famous exhibits from Nazi Germany and a lively, inspiring and timely discussion exploring the realities of political protest from Germany during World War II through to present day.
Director: Joel Hopkins.
Starring: Diane Keaton, Brendan Gleeson, Lesley Manville. UK 2017. 103 mins.
While looking out over the unspoilt parkland of Hampstead Heath from her attic window, American widow Emily Waters (Keaton) calls the police when she sees an unkempt man, Donald Horner (Gleeson), being attacked by thugs outside a ramshackle hut. Curious about the man she helped save from afar, she ventures out the next day to visit him and discovers that he has lived wild on the Heath for 17 years. As ruthless property developers adopt heavy-handed tactics to remove him from the area he calls home, an unlikely friendship – and then a romance – begins to blossom. With Last Chance Harvey, director Joel Hopkins demonstrated his talent for chronicling unlikely relationships, and his affinity for the Hampstead area adds resonance to this heartwarmingly quirky love story.
To mark the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales, we’re exploring our collective past through a season of exceptional British movies.
Love Is The Devil
Director: John Maybury. Starring: Derek Jacobi, Daniel Craig, Tilda Swinton. UK 1998. 90 mins.
John Maybury’s daring art biopic stars Derek Jacobi as Francis Bacon and Daniel Craig as his muse, a small-time thief drawn into the painter’s bohemian circle. Tilda Swinton gives a standout performance as the foul-mouthed proprietress of the legendary Colony Room, the Soho club that served as a hub for the group, which also included photographer John Deakin and artist Isabel Rawsthorne.
18.30Criminal Acts: A Charged Past: A season to mark the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales.
Discover Tuesdays: Discover stunning cinema. Whether it's a cult classic, an art-house gem or a riveting documentary, there will always be a chance to see something different and brilliant in our weekly slot.
Director: Mike Nichols. Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft, Katharine Ross. USA 1967. 105 mins.
This archly hilarious observation of smug, middle-class American mores remains a delight half a century after its release, as callow college graduate Dustin Hoffman is seduced by Mrs Robinson (Bancroft). Bancroft’s career-defining role is perfectly matched by Katharine Ross as her daughter, who ultimately takes Benjamin’s fancy. The Graduate confirmed director Mike Nichols’ talent for socially astute storytelling, with fabulous performances from some of his generation’s finest actors.
Director: Mark Webb.
Starring: Chris Evans, McKenna Grace, Lindsay Duncan. USA 2017. 101 mins.
Gifted is a moving story about choices, compassion and family, all underscored by a wicked sense of humour. Frank Adler (Evans) is a single man raising a child prodigy – his spirited young niece Mary (Grace) – in a coastal town in Florida. Frank’s plans for a normal school life for Mary are foiled when her mathematical abilities come to the attention of Frank’s formidable mother, Evelyn (Duncan), whose plans for her granddaughter threaten to separate Frank and Mary.
Directors: Nick Broomfield, Rudi Dolezal, 2017, USA/UK, 105min.
Whitney Houston was the epitome of superstar, an “American Princess,” the most awarded female artist ever. Even though Whitney had made millions of dollars, had more consecutive number ones than The Beatles, and became recognized as having one of the greatest voice of all time, she still wasn’t free to be herself and died at just 48 years old. WHITNEY "Can I Be Me" tells Whitney Houston’s incredible and poignant life story with insights from those closest to her.
Director: Roger Michell. Starring: Rachel Weisz, Sam Claflin, Iain Glen. USA/UK 2017. 106 mins.
After health problems determine that he must spend his winters in warmer climates, Ambrose (Glen), a wealthy landowner and guardian to his orphaned cousin Philip (Claflin), heads to Italy. Years later, Philip receives a letter from Ambrose announcing that he has fallen in love with and married a distant relation, the eponymous Rachel (Weisz). Soon after, Philip learns that his guardian is dangerously ill, but by the time he arrives in Italy, Ambrose is dead and Rachel has left for England, bound for her deceased husband’s estate in Cornwall. Racked by suspicion, Philip confronts Rachel, but he too soon finds himself under her beguiling spell. What is she? A femme fatale? A gold-digger? A tease? Thanks to skilled direction and first-rate performances, Roger Michell’s enticing period drama keeps the audience guessing throughout.
Swiss director Claude Barras’s debut feature is a beautifully rendered, stop-motion animation, adapted by the gifted screenwriter Céline Sciamma (Girlhood, Tomboy) from Giles Paris’s eponymous novel. The improbably nicknamed Courgette (Schlatter) is a shy, bug-eyed kid, consigned to an orphanage after his alcoholic mother’s sudden death. However, Courgette’s unhappiness is tempered by the kindly policeman who escorts him to his new home and adventures with the other misfit children – a football-loving tomboy, shy Alice and an introverted dinosaur fan – are cleverly wrought to show how lessons learnt can shape a child’s character and prepare them for adult life. The story of the growing pains of youngsters is lovingly told, the animation and colouring terrific - all brilliantly befitting the narrative of a film that’s much more than simply kids’ entertainment.
Like countless others Philippe, Michel, Andre and Patrick were labeled idiots, locked away and forgotten in violent asylums, until the 1960s, when the young philosopher Jean Vanier took a stand and secured their release - the first time in history that anyone had beaten the system. Together they created L'Arche, a commune at the edge of a beautiful forest near Paris and a quiet revolution was born. Now in his 80s and still at L'Arche, Jean has discovered something that most of us have forgotten - what it is to be human, to be foolish, and to be happy. Summer in the Forest invites us to abandon the rat race and forge new friendships. Amid the ancient trees, Philippe, Patrick, Jean and the others welcome us into their lives. If there are rules to break, they will be broken and if there is a truth to be told, they will tell it. Michel wants to share with us his war torn past, Andre is desperate for a date, and young David will prove himself a hero in the fight against the forces of evil.
Director: Patty Jenkins.
Starring: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nelson. USA 2017. 133 mins.
Since Cathy Lee Crosby burst onto the big screen as the original Wonder Woman in 1974 there have several other versions of DC Comics’ legendary female superhero, but now Israeli actress Gal Gadot (Gisele from the Fast & Furious franchise) takes centre stage as the Amazon warrior-princess after a breakout turn last year in Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice. Raised as a fearless defender of her island paradise in the early 20th century, young Diana meets Steve Trevor (Pine), an American pilot who informs her of the mighty war raging beyond her shores. Inspired to right the world’s wrong, she leaves for London to discover her true destiny and her full, unearthly powers. Gifted director Patty Jenkins (Monster) is behind the camera, overseeing a stellar cast that includes Robin Wright and Connie Nelson.
Director: Michaël Dudok De Wit. France/Belgium/Japan 2015. 81 mins.
Renowned Japanese animation giant Studio Ghibli’s first-ever international co-production is a perfect collaboration with Oscar-winning Dutch animator Michaël Dudok De Wit. The Red Turtle, almost a decade in the making, is a dialogue-free fable about a castaway on a desert island, and a touching ode to the cycle of life and the resilience of family. Presented with an elegant simplicity, the sublime visuals pack a real emotional punch. Described by critics as a ‘quiet little masterpiece’ and a ‘wordless wonder’, The Red Turtle won the Special Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section at this year’s Cannes. Michaël Dudok De Wit previously made the Oscar-winning animated short Father And Daughter in 2000.
Director: James Gunn.
Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper. USA 2017. 136 mins.
The coolest ragtag bunch of a-holes in space are back with the fate of the cosmos resting on their shoulders once more. Because anyone can save the galaxy once. As they journey across the far reaches of the universe, the Guardians attempt to solve the mystery of Peter Quill’s (Pratt) parentage. On their travels, they cross paths with old foes, new faces and an enigmatic villain in Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki), but their biggest battle might just be to keep their newfound family together. Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista and Bradley Cooper reprise their roles as Gamora, Drax and Rocket respectively, while Vin Diesel returns to voice a very naïve and goofy baby Groot. Expect another humdinger of a soundtrack.
Director: Christopher Nolan.
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain. USA 2014. 169 mins.
Amongst a group of explorers and scientists pushing the boundaries of space travel by journeying through a newly discovered wormhole is Cooper (McConaughey, with echoes of his role in 1997’s Contact). He’s an idealistic everyman willing to leave behind his two young children to join a venture whose noble goals include saving humanity from its destructive excesses. Director Christopher Nolan creatively builds on the experimental cinematography he employed in The Dark Knight Rises – using anamorphic 35mm and an IMAX camera attached to a plane – with stunningly eye-boggling results.
We're thrilled to present these screenings of a 70mm print.
Director: Edgar Wright.
Starring: Ansel Elgort, Lily James, Kevin Spacey. USA 2017. 113 mins.
Young getaway driver Baby (Elgort) relies on the beat of his personal soundtrack to be the best in the game. After he meets the girl of his dreams, he sees a chance to leave his criminal life behind. But one last heist puts his love, life and freedom on the line. With an eclectic soundtrack ranging from Queen and Martha Reeves to The Beach Boys, Edgar Wright’s musical crime caper rolls out one terrific tune after the other.
This award-winning story follows a young girl named Suzu Urano, who in 1944 moves to the small town of Kure in Hiroshima where she marries Shusaku Hojo, a young clerk who works at the local naval base. Living with his family, Suzu becomes essential to the running of the household and creatively prepares meals during the tough wartime conditions while also carrying out daily housework. In 1945, intense bombings by the US military finally reach Kure, with devastating effect to the townsfolk and their way of life. Suzu’s life is changed irrevocably, but through perseverance and courage, she manages to continue to live life to the fullest.
Director: Joel Hopkins.
Starring: Diane Keaton, Brendan Gleeson, Lesley Manville. UK 2017. 103 mins.
While looking out over the unspoilt parkland of Hampstead Heath from her attic window, American widow Emily Waters (Keaton) calls the police when she sees an unkempt man, Donald Horner (Gleeson), being attacked by thugs outside a ramshackle hut. Curious about the man she helped save from afar, she ventures out the next day to visit him and discovers that he has lived wild on the Heath for 17 years. As ruthless property developers adopt heavy-handed tactics to remove him from the area he calls home, an unlikely friendship – and then a romance – begins to blossom. With Last Chance Harvey, director Joel Hopkins demonstrated his talent for chronicling unlikely relationships, and his affinity for the Hampstead area adds resonance to this heartwarmingly quirky love story.
World-famous tenor Jonas Kaufmann makes his role debut as Otello in Verdi's passionate retelling of Shakespeare's great tragedy of jealousy, deception and murder. Soprano Maria Agresta will be his Desdemona and baritone Marco Vratogna his nemesis Iago in a new production by Olivier Awardwinning director Keith Warner.
A major work of the opera repertory, Verdi's Otello draws on the full forces of the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, the Royal Opera Chorus and this stellar line-up of principal singers, with exquisite duets, emotionally potent solo numbers and thrilling choruses.
Particular highlights include Otello and Desdemona's rapturous love duet and Desdemona's poignant 'Willow Song'. Royal Opera Music Director Antonio Pappano conducts this Italian masterpiece.
Director: Mike Nichols. Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft, Katharine Ross. USA 1967. 105 mins.
This archly hilarious observation of smug, middle-class American mores remains a delight half a century after its release, as callow college graduate Dustin Hoffman is seduced by Mrs Robinson (Bancroft). Bancroft’s career-defining role is perfectly matched by Katharine Ross as her daughter, who ultimately takes Benjamin’s fancy. The Graduate confirmed director Mike Nichols’ talent for socially astute storytelling, with fabulous performances from some of his generation’s finest actors.
A rare opportunity to see this acclaimed 1997 family drama starring Diane Keaton and an all star cast.
Bessie (Diane Keaton) and Lee (Meryl Streep) are sisters who have remained apart for nearly 20 years due to radically different personalities and life paths. Bessie remained in Florida to care for their ill, bed-ridden father (Hume Cronyn), and Lee moved to Ohio to marry and have a family. But Bessie's doctor (Robert De Niro) has informed her she has leukemia and needs a bone marrow transplant. Bessie's prognosis and Lee's troubled son (Leonardo DiCaprio) create an unexpected family reunion.
Director: Mark Webb.
Starring: Chris Evans, McKenna Grace, Lindsay Duncan. USA 2017. 101 mins.
Gifted is a moving story about choices, compassion and family, all underscored by a wicked sense of humour. Frank Adler (Evans) is a single man raising a child prodigy – his spirited young niece Mary (Grace) – in a coastal town in Florida. Frank’s plans for a normal school life for Mary are foiled when her mathematical abilities come to the attention of Frank’s formidable mother, Evelyn (Duncan), whose plans for her granddaughter threaten to separate Frank and Mary.
Directors: Nick Broomfield, Rudi Dolezal, 2017, USA/UK, 105min.
Whitney Houston was the epitome of superstar, an “American Princess,” the most awarded female artist ever. Even though Whitney had made millions of dollars, had more consecutive number ones than The Beatles, and became recognized as having one of the greatest voice of all time, she still wasn’t free to be herself and died at just 48 years old. WHITNEY "Can I Be Me" tells Whitney Houston’s incredible and poignant life story with insights from those closest to her.
Director: Roger Michell. Starring: Rachel Weisz, Sam Claflin, Iain Glen. USA/UK 2017. 106 mins.
After health problems determine that he must spend his winters in warmer climates, Ambrose (Glen), a wealthy landowner and guardian to his orphaned cousin Philip (Claflin), heads to Italy. Years later, Philip receives a letter from Ambrose announcing that he has fallen in love with and married a distant relation, the eponymous Rachel (Weisz). Soon after, Philip learns that his guardian is dangerously ill, but by the time he arrives in Italy, Ambrose is dead and Rachel has left for England, bound for her deceased husband’s estate in Cornwall. Racked by suspicion, Philip confronts Rachel, but he too soon finds himself under her beguiling spell. What is she? A femme fatale? A gold-digger? A tease? Thanks to skilled direction and first-rate performances, Roger Michell’s enticing period drama keeps the audience guessing throughout.
Director: Sofia Coppola. Starring: Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning, Collin Farrell. USA 2017. 94mins.
We are delighted to welcome director Sofia Coppola for a Q&A following a screening of her new film which premiered at the recent Cannes film festival, winning Coppola the prize for best director.
Sofia Coppola’s seductive adaptation of Thomas P. Cullinan’s novel, A Painted Devil, unfolds at an all-girls boarding school in rural Virginia during the American Civil War. When the headmistress (Kidman) agrees to shelter a wounded Union soldier (Farrell), his sudden presence stirs up sexual tensions in the remote mansion. As each of the women falls for his charms, their tight-knit sisterhood buckles under the weight of deceit and jealousy.
Swiss director Claude Barras’s debut feature is a beautifully rendered, stop-motion animation, adapted by the gifted screenwriter Céline Sciamma (Girlhood, Tomboy) from Giles Paris’s eponymous novel. The improbably nicknamed Courgette (Schlatter) is a shy, bug-eyed kid, consigned to an orphanage after his alcoholic mother’s sudden death. However, Courgette’s unhappiness is tempered by the kindly policeman who escorts him to his new home and adventures with the other misfit children – a football-loving tomboy, shy Alice and an introverted dinosaur fan – are cleverly wrought to show how lessons learnt can shape a child’s character and prepare them for adult life. The story of the growing pains of youngsters is lovingly told, the animation and colouring terrific - all brilliantly befitting the narrative of a film that’s much more than simply kids’ entertainment.
Like countless others Philippe, Michel, Andre and Patrick were labeled idiots, locked away and forgotten in violent asylums, until the 1960s, when the young philosopher Jean Vanier took a stand and secured their release - the first time in history that anyone had beaten the system. Together they created L'Arche, a commune at the edge of a beautiful forest near Paris and a quiet revolution was born. Now in his 80s and still at L'Arche, Jean has discovered something that most of us have forgotten - what it is to be human, to be foolish, and to be happy. Summer in the Forest invites us to abandon the rat race and forge new friendships. Amid the ancient trees, Philippe, Patrick, Jean and the others welcome us into their lives. If there are rules to break, they will be broken and if there is a truth to be told, they will tell it. Michel wants to share with us his war torn past, Andre is desperate for a date, and young David will prove himself a hero in the fight against the forces of evil.
Director: Patty Jenkins.
Starring: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nelson. USA 2017. 133 mins.
Since Cathy Lee Crosby burst onto the big screen as the original Wonder Woman in 1974 there have several other versions of DC Comics’ legendary female superhero, but now Israeli actress Gal Gadot (Gisele from the Fast & Furious franchise) takes centre stage as the Amazon warrior-princess after a breakout turn last year in Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice. Raised as a fearless defender of her island paradise in the early 20th century, young Diana meets Steve Trevor (Pine), an American pilot who informs her of the mighty war raging beyond her shores. Inspired to right the world’s wrong, she leaves for London to discover her true destiny and her full, unearthly powers. Gifted director Patty Jenkins (Monster) is behind the camera, overseeing a stellar cast that includes Robin Wright and Connie Nelson.
Director: Shubhashish Bhutiani. Starring: Adil Hussain, Lalit Behl, Geetanjali Kulkarni. Hindi – English subtitles
+ Q&A with Director Shubhashish Bhutiani
In this gentle charmer, a 77-year old father decides to end his days in the holy city of Varanasi and attain Salvation, with his son accompanying him. Their journey is a shining example of how humour, warmth and humanity triumph over pathos. The film won the UNESCO award at Venice and the Critics Award at Vesoul, and showcases bravura performances from renowned actors Adil Hussain (Life of Pi), Lalit Behl (Titli) and Geetanjali Kulkarni (Court).
Director: Michaël Dudok De Wit. France/Belgium/Japan 2015. 81 mins.
Renowned Japanese animation giant Studio Ghibli’s first-ever international co-production is a perfect collaboration with Oscar-winning Dutch animator Michaël Dudok De Wit. The Red Turtle, almost a decade in the making, is a dialogue-free fable about a castaway on a desert island, and a touching ode to the cycle of life and the resilience of family. Presented with an elegant simplicity, the sublime visuals pack a real emotional punch. Described by critics as a ‘quiet little masterpiece’ and a ‘wordless wonder’, The Red Turtle won the Special Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section at this year’s Cannes. Michaël Dudok De Wit previously made the Oscar-winning animated short Father And Daughter in 2000.
Director: Edgar Wright.
Starring: Ansel Elgort, Lily James, Kevin Spacey. USA 2017. 113 mins.
Young getaway driver Baby (Elgort) relies on the beat of his personal soundtrack to be the best in the game. After he meets the girl of his dreams, he sees a chance to leave his criminal life behind. But one last heist puts his love, life and freedom on the line. With an eclectic soundtrack ranging from Queen and Martha Reeves to The Beach Boys, Edgar Wright’s musical crime caper rolls out one terrific tune after the other.
Director: Andew J. Cohen. Starring: Will Ferrell, Amy Poehler, Allison Tolman. USA 2017. 88mins.
After Scott and Kate Johansen (Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler) lose their daughter Alex’s college fund, they become desperate to earn it back so she can pursue her dream of attending a university. With the help of their neighbor Frank (Jason Mantzoukas), they decide to start an illegal casino in his house.
Director: Joel Hopkins.
Starring: Diane Keaton, Brendan Gleeson, Lesley Manville. UK 2017. 103 mins.
While looking out over the unspoilt parkland of Hampstead Heath from her attic window, American widow Emily Waters (Keaton) calls the police when she sees an unkempt man, Donald Horner (Gleeson), being attacked by thugs outside a ramshackle hut. Curious about the man she helped save from afar, she ventures out the next day to visit him and discovers that he has lived wild on the Heath for 17 years. As ruthless property developers adopt heavy-handed tactics to remove him from the area he calls home, an unlikely friendship – and then a romance – begins to blossom. With Last Chance Harvey, director Joel Hopkins demonstrated his talent for chronicling unlikely relationships, and his affinity for the Hampstead area adds resonance to this heartwarmingly quirky love story.
Director: Mike Nichols. Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft, Katharine Ross. USA 1967. 105 mins.
This archly hilarious observation of smug, middle-class American mores remains a delight half a century after its release, as callow college graduate Dustin Hoffman is seduced by Mrs Robinson (Bancroft). Bancroft’s career-defining role is perfectly matched by Katharine Ross as her daughter, who ultimately takes Benjamin’s fancy. The Graduate confirmed director Mike Nichols’ talent for socially astute storytelling, with fabulous performances from some of his generation’s finest actors.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest films of all time, this mob drama, based on Mario Puzo's novel of the same name, focuses on the powerful Italian-American crime family of Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando). When the don's youngest son, Michael (Al Pacino), reluctantly joins the Mafia, he becomes involved in the inevitable cycle of violence and betrayal. Although Michael tries to maintain a normal relationship with his wife, Kay (Diane Keaton), he is drawn deeper into the family business.
Director: Mark Webb.
Starring: Chris Evans, McKenna Grace, Lindsay Duncan. USA 2017. 101 mins.
Gifted is a moving story about choices, compassion and family, all underscored by a wicked sense of humour. Frank Adler (Evans) is a single man raising a child prodigy – his spirited young niece Mary (Grace) – in a coastal town in Florida. Frank’s plans for a normal school life for Mary are foiled when her mathematical abilities come to the attention of Frank’s formidable mother, Evelyn (Duncan), whose plans for her granddaughter threaten to separate Frank and Mary.
Directors: Nick Broomfield, Rudi Dolezal, 2017, USA/UK, 105min.
Whitney Houston was the epitome of superstar, an “American Princess,” the most awarded female artist ever. Even though Whitney had made millions of dollars, had more consecutive number ones than The Beatles, and became recognized as having one of the greatest voice of all time, she still wasn’t free to be herself and died at just 48 years old. WHITNEY "Can I Be Me" tells Whitney Houston’s incredible and poignant life story with insights from those closest to her.
Director: Roger Michell. Starring: Rachel Weisz, Sam Claflin, Iain Glen. USA/UK 2017. 106 mins.
After health problems determine that he must spend his winters in warmer climates, Ambrose (Glen), a wealthy landowner and guardian to his orphaned cousin Philip (Claflin), heads to Italy. Years later, Philip receives a letter from Ambrose announcing that he has fallen in love with and married a distant relation, the eponymous Rachel (Weisz). Soon after, Philip learns that his guardian is dangerously ill, but by the time he arrives in Italy, Ambrose is dead and Rachel has left for England, bound for her deceased husband’s estate in Cornwall. Racked by suspicion, Philip confronts Rachel, but he too soon finds himself under her beguiling spell. What is she? A femme fatale? A gold-digger? A tease? Thanks to skilled direction and first-rate performances, Roger Michell’s enticing period drama keeps the audience guessing throughout.
Swiss director Claude Barras’s debut feature is a beautifully rendered, stop-motion animation, adapted by the gifted screenwriter Céline Sciamma (Girlhood, Tomboy) from Giles Paris’s eponymous novel. The improbably nicknamed Courgette (Schlatter) is a shy, bug-eyed kid, consigned to an orphanage after his alcoholic mother’s sudden death. However, Courgette’s unhappiness is tempered by the kindly policeman who escorts him to his new home and adventures with the other misfit children – a football-loving tomboy, shy Alice and an introverted dinosaur fan – are cleverly wrought to show how lessons learnt can shape a child’s character and prepare them for adult life. The story of the growing pains of youngsters is lovingly told, the animation and colouring terrific - all brilliantly befitting the narrative of a film that’s much more than simply kids’ entertainment.
Like countless others Philippe, Michel, Andre and Patrick were labeled idiots, locked away and forgotten in violent asylums, until the 1960s, when the young philosopher Jean Vanier took a stand and secured their release - the first time in history that anyone had beaten the system. Together they created L'Arche, a commune at the edge of a beautiful forest near Paris and a quiet revolution was born. Now in his 80s and still at L'Arche, Jean has discovered something that most of us have forgotten - what it is to be human, to be foolish, and to be happy. Summer in the Forest invites us to abandon the rat race and forge new friendships. Amid the ancient trees, Philippe, Patrick, Jean and the others welcome us into their lives. If there are rules to break, they will be broken and if there is a truth to be told, they will tell it. Michel wants to share with us his war torn past, Andre is desperate for a date, and young David will prove himself a hero in the fight against the forces of evil.
Director: Patty Jenkins.
Starring: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nelson. USA 2017. 133 mins.
Since Cathy Lee Crosby burst onto the big screen as the original Wonder Woman in 1974 there have several other versions of DC Comics’ legendary female superhero, but now Israeli actress Gal Gadot (Gisele from the Fast & Furious franchise) takes centre stage as the Amazon warrior-princess after a breakout turn last year in Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice. Raised as a fearless defender of her island paradise in the early 20th century, young Diana meets Steve Trevor (Pine), an American pilot who informs her of the mighty war raging beyond her shores. Inspired to right the world’s wrong, she leaves for London to discover her true destiny and her full, unearthly powers. Gifted director Patty Jenkins (Monster) is behind the camera, overseeing a stellar cast that includes Robin Wright and Connie Nelson.
Director: Michaël Dudok De Wit. France/Belgium/Japan 2015. 81 mins.
Renowned Japanese animation giant Studio Ghibli’s first-ever international co-production is a perfect collaboration with Oscar-winning Dutch animator Michaël Dudok De Wit. The Red Turtle, almost a decade in the making, is a dialogue-free fable about a castaway on a desert island, and a touching ode to the cycle of life and the resilience of family. Presented with an elegant simplicity, the sublime visuals pack a real emotional punch. Described by critics as a ‘quiet little masterpiece’ and a ‘wordless wonder’, The Red Turtle won the Special Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section at this year’s Cannes. Michaël Dudok De Wit previously made the Oscar-winning animated short Father And Daughter in 2000.
Director: Edgar Wright.
Starring: Ansel Elgort, Lily James, Kevin Spacey. USA 2017. 113 mins.
Young getaway driver Baby (Elgort) relies on the beat of his personal soundtrack to be the best in the game. After he meets the girl of his dreams, he sees a chance to leave his criminal life behind. But one last heist puts his love, life and freedom on the line. With an eclectic soundtrack ranging from Queen and Martha Reeves to The Beach Boys, Edgar Wright’s musical crime caper rolls out one terrific tune after the other.
Following the screening we're delighted to welcome director Ceyda Torun for a Q&A.
Hundreds of thousands of cats roam the metropolis of Istanbul freely. For thousands of years they’ve wandered in and out of people’s lives, becoming an essential part of the communities that make the city so rich. Claiming no owners, these animals live between two worlds, neither wild nor tame – and they bring joy and purpose to those people they choose to adopt. In Istanbul, cats are the mirrors to the people, allowing them to reflect on their lives in ways nothing else could.
Director: Laura Poitras. Germany/USA 2016. 91 mins.
A character study of the complex and volatile Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks. The award-winning director of Citizenfour returns with her most personal film to date, capturing Assange’s story with unprecedented access to her subject. Poitras finds herself caught between the motives and contradictions of Assange and his inner circle. In a new world order where a single keystroke can alter history, Risk is a portrait of power, betrayal, truth, and sacrifice.
Director: Edgar Wright.
Starring: Ansel Elgort, Lily James, Kevin Spacey. USA 2017. 113 mins.
Young getaway driver Baby (Elgort) relies on the beat of his personal soundtrack to be the best in the game. After he meets the girl of his dreams, he sees a chance to leave his criminal life behind. But one last heist puts his love, life and freedom on the line. With an eclectic soundtrack ranging from Queen and Martha Reeves to The Beach Boys, Edgar Wright’s musical crime caper rolls out one terrific tune after the other.
Director: Edgar Wright.
Starring: Ansel Elgort, Lily James, Kevin Spacey. USA 2017. 113 mins.
Young getaway driver Baby (Elgort) relies on the beat of his personal soundtrack to be the best in the game. After he meets the girl of his dreams, he sees a chance to leave his criminal life behind. But one last heist puts his love, life and freedom on the line. With an eclectic soundtrack ranging from Queen and Martha Reeves to The Beach Boys, Edgar Wright’s musical crime caper rolls out one terrific tune after the other.
A double-bill uniting these two great cat and dog films of IstanbulKedi
Director: Ceyda Torun. 80min. Turkey/USA. 2016
Hundreds of thousands of cats roam the metropolis of Istanbul freely. For thousands of years they’ve wandered in and out of people’s lives, becoming an essential part of the communities that make the city so rich. Claiming no owners, these animals live between two worlds, neither wild nor tame – and they bring joy and purpose to those people they choose to adopt. In Istanbul, cats are the mirrors to the people, allowing them to reflect on their lives in ways nothing else could.
Taskafa: Stories of the Street
Director: Andrea Luka Zimmerman. 2013. UK. 66min.
Artangel Open Winner, and the first director to be shortlisted for both the Grierson and Jarman Awards, artist, cultural activist and filmmaker Andrea Luka Zimmerman's Taşkafa: Stories of the Street (2013) is about resistance and co-existence told through the lives of the street dogs of Istanbul. The film is voiced by the late, great John Berger with readings from his novel King, a story of hope, dreams, love and resistance, told from the perspective of a dog belonging to a community facing disappearance, even erasure. In Taşkafa, this voice is gifted to a wider community and range of perspectives: to dogs, a city and, finally, to history.
Director: Bill Condon
Starring: Emma Watson, Luke Evans, Stanley Tucci, Ian McKellen. USA 2017. 129 mins.
Back in 1991, the Walt Disney Company released Beauty And The Beast, an exquisitely drawn feature animation that became a gargantuan hit, delighting both audiences and critics and spinning off a blockbuster Broadway musical. So who better to breathe new life into the beloved French fairy tale – with its very modern message of not judging people by their appearance – in a live-action telling than the studio that made it a movie classic in the first place? Veteran director Bill Condon (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Parts 1 & 2, Dreamgirls, Mr Holmes) has refashioned the characters for a contemporary audience but stayed true to the animation’s music, with several new songs and an amended score by the original composer, Alan Menken. Get ready to be wowed all over again.
Director: Christopher Nolan.
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain. USA 2014. 169 mins.
Amongst a group of explorers and scientists pushing the boundaries of space travel by journeying through a newly discovered wormhole is Cooper (McConaughey, with echoes of his role in 1997’s Contact). He’s an idealistic everyman willing to leave behind his two young children to join a venture whose noble goals include saving humanity from its destructive excesses. Director Christopher Nolan creatively builds on the experimental cinematography he employed in The Dark Knight Rises – using anamorphic 35mm and an IMAX camera attached to a plane – with stunningly eye-boggling results.
We're thrilled to present these screenings of a 70mm print.
Director: Edgar Wright.
Starring: Ansel Elgort, Lily James, Kevin Spacey. USA 2017. 113 mins.
Young getaway driver Baby (Elgort) relies on the beat of his personal soundtrack to be the best in the game. After he meets the girl of his dreams, he sees a chance to leave his criminal life behind. But one last heist puts his love, life and freedom on the line. With an eclectic soundtrack ranging from Queen and Martha Reeves to The Beach Boys, Edgar Wright’s musical crime caper rolls out one terrific tune after the other.
Director: Laura Poitras. Germany/USA 2016. 91 mins.
There's only one thing we love more than docs, and that's talking about docs. Join us for a discussion about Risk after this screening, moderated by Central Docs programmer Chris Harris.
A character study of the complex and volatile Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks. The award-winning director of Citizenfour returns with her most personal film to date, capturing Assange’s story with unprecedented access to her subject. Poitras finds herself caught between the motives and contradictions of Assange and his inner circle. In a new world order where a single keystroke can alter history, Risk is a portrait of power, betrayal, truth, and sacrifice.
18.30Picturehouse Docs: Bringing you the best in new and topical documentaries covering issues around the world.
Central Docs Club: After the screening join us for an informal discussion about the film, all welcome.
Cyrano is cursed with a prominent nose but gifted with words. He uses this talent to help handsome Christian win Roxane’s heart, whom he also loves...
“When we, comedians of la Comédie-Française, stage plays, we consciously feel this desire to show off this theatre of ours, to show everyone why we love it and why we want to be here.” With these words in mind, award-winning director, stage and cinema actor Denis Podalydès takes over the historical stage. Opera buffa, tragedy, romantic drama, symbolist poetry, slapstick comedy… all genres are called upon to give life to this staging of one of the most emblematic texts of the French repertoire!
Please note, the broadcasts, live from the historic stage, do not include English subtitles.
Director: Edgar Wright.
Starring: Ansel Elgort, Lily James, Kevin Spacey. USA 2017. 113 mins.
Young getaway driver Baby (Elgort) relies on the beat of his personal soundtrack to be the best in the game. After he meets the girl of his dreams, he sees a chance to leave his criminal life behind. But one last heist puts his love, life and freedom on the line. With an eclectic soundtrack ranging from Queen and Martha Reeves to The Beach Boys, Edgar Wright’s musical crime caper rolls out one terrific tune after the other.
Birds Eye View are our hosts, and their ‘A&Q’ format involves Mia Bays, Oscar winning producer, director of Birds Eye View offering a contextual space to involve audience discussion afterwards, with special guest speakers. We will be joined by John Stokes and Devorah Baum for a lively and informative debate that makes the event memorable. Birds Eye View’s mission is to spotlight films by women to audiences as they believe the world is best seen through both eyes rather than one.
John Stokes is Emeritus Professor of Modern British Literature at King's College London. He has a particular interest in animal/ human relations and is currently researching canine elegies.
Dr Devorah Baum is Lecturer in English/Critical Thinking, Southampton University plus a specialist in animal psychology.
Hundreds of thousands of cats roam the metropolis of Istanbul freely. For thousands of years they’ve wandered in and out of people’s lives, becoming an essential part of the communities that make the city so rich. Claiming no owners, these animals live between two worlds, neither wild nor tame – and they bring joy and purpose to those people they choose to adopt. In Istanbul, cats are the mirrors to the people, allowing them to reflect on their lives in ways nothing else could.
Director: Edgar Wright.
Starring: Ansel Elgort, Lily James, Kevin Spacey. USA 2017. 113 mins.
Young getaway driver Baby (Elgort) relies on the beat of his personal soundtrack to be the best in the game. After he meets the girl of his dreams, he sees a chance to leave his criminal life behind. But one last heist puts his love, life and freedom on the line. With an eclectic soundtrack ranging from Queen and Martha Reeves to The Beach Boys, Edgar Wright’s musical crime caper rolls out one terrific tune after the other.
Italian Artist Yuri Ancarani journeys inside the bizarre world of Qatar’s super-rich, where the ancient tradition of competitive falconry collides with a life of otherwise ultra-modern excess. For these men, with almost limitless wealth at their disposal, the desert is seen as a giant playground for increasingly outlandish acts of folly - a perfectly surreal setting for the strange rituals that define their lives. Largely observational, stunning cinematography interspersed with breathtaking footage from the perspective of a falcon in flight, The Challenge is both an anthropological look at a clash of cultures and a sly meditation on the collective pursuit of idiosyncratic desire.
Director: Edgar Wright.
Starring: Ansel Elgort, Lily James, Kevin Spacey. USA 2017. 113 mins.
Young getaway driver Baby (Elgort) relies on the beat of his personal soundtrack to be the best in the game. After he meets the girl of his dreams, he sees a chance to leave his criminal life behind. But one last heist puts his love, life and freedom on the line. With an eclectic soundtrack ranging from Queen and Martha Reeves to The Beach Boys, Edgar Wright’s musical crime caper rolls out one terrific tune after the other.
Be part of a major new operatic work – join us for the world premiere of Brett Dean’s new opera based on Shakespeare’s best-known tragedy.
Brett Dean’s colourful, energetic, witty and richly lyrical music expertly captures the modernity of this timeless tale, while Matthew Jocelyn’s libretto is pure Shakespeare.
A cast of some of the finest singing actors of the moment will bring Hamlet to life. British tenor and Glyndebourne favourite Allan Clayton will play Hamlet. British mezzo-soprano Sarah Connolly will play Gertrude and Canadian soprano Barbara Hannigan will make her Glyndebourne debut as Ophelia. Legendary British bass John Tomlinson plays The Ghost of Old Hamlet.
Hamlet will be conducted by Vladimir Jurowski, Glyndebourne’s former Music Director.
Neil Armfield has directed numerous productions for Opera Australia, including their first full-length presentation of The Ring Cycle. He is the director of the acclaimed films Candy and Holding the Man.
‘The themes of life and death, love and betrayal have opera written all over them.’
—Brett Dean, Composer
Sung in English with English supertitles
Also on screen this summer: a timeless production of La traviata (captured live in 2014) and a new production of Mozart’s La clemenza di Tito (live).
This screening will be followed by a Q&A with director/writer Jon Sanders and actress/writer Anna Mottram.
Director: Jon Sanders.
Starring: Meret Becker, Bob Goody, Anna Mottram. UK 2017. 98 mins.
In an attempt to revisit a creative collaboration and revive his marriage, a theatre director brings together a group of performers to spend a week with him and his wife in an isolated, mountainous part of southern France. As the work progresses, fiction and reality become blurred and tension develops between the characters’ own lives and the nature of the project – an investigation into the changing nature of love.
Director: Jon Watts.
Starring: Tom Holland, Robert Downey Jr, Michael Keaton. USA 2017. 133 mins.
Tom Holland reprises his role as Peter Parker/Spider-Man following his sensational debut in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War. Several months after his thrilling web-slinging cameo with The Avengers, Peter tries to settle back into life as an ordinary high-school student in Queens, New York City. Desperate to prove himself and exercise his superpowers, he gets his chance when a new threat emerges in the shape of The Vulture (Keaton).
Director: Dmitrii Kalashnikov. 67min. Russian with English Subtitles. 2017
Video footage from a variety of dashboard cameras presents the absurd and frightening nature of Russia, alongside a series of bizarre car accidents on the country’s roads. More than once, angry motorists brandish axes, pistols or sledgehammers at the camera, and at times the camera itself seems to come to life, when it is chucked out of the car or stolen by someone breaking in. The footage of spectacular trips through a forest fire, tall snowdrifts or flooded streets is almost poetic – and what’s that up there in the sky? Is it a plane crashing, or could it be a comet? Bemused commentary from unseen drivers and passengers or the sound of the car radio provides unintentionally comical moments. Would someone please call 911?
Director: Sofia Coppola.
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Colin Farrell, Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning. USA 2017. 94 mins.
Academy Award-winner Sofia Coppola is one of those rare directors whose films feel like an event not to be missed. Her latest, a seductive drama with an all-star cast, is no different. A new adaptation of Thomas P. Cullinan’s Southern Gothic novel, A Painted Devil, the story unfolds at an all-girls boarding school in rural Virginia during the American Civil War. When the headmistress (Kidman) agrees to provide temporary refuge for a wounded Union soldier (Farrell), his sudden presence stirs up sexual tensions in the remote mansion. As each of the women falls for his charms, their tight-knit sisterhood buckles under the weight of deceit and jealousy, and taboos are broken in a dark and unexpected turn of events.
Director: Jon Watts.
Starring: Tom Holland, Robert Downey Jr, Michael Keaton. USA 2017. 133 mins.
Tom Holland reprises his role as Peter Parker/Spider-Man following his sensational debut in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War. Several months after his thrilling web-slinging cameo with The Avengers, Peter tries to settle back into life as an ordinary high-school student in Queens, New York City. Desperate to prove himself and exercise his superpowers, he gets his chance when a new threat emerges in the shape of The Vulture (Keaton).
Director: D. A. Pennebaker.
Featuring: Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix, Ravi Shankar. UK 1968. 79mins.
On a beautiful June weekend in 1967, at the height of the Summer of Love, the first and only Monterey International Pop Festival roared forward, capturing a decade's spirit and ushering in a new era of rock and roll. Monterey would launch the careers of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Otis Redding, but they were just a few among a wildly diverse cast that included Simon and Garfunkel, the Mamas and the Papas, the Who, the Byrds, Hugh Masekela, and the extraordinary Ravi Shankar. With his characteristic verité style, D. A. Pennebaker captured it all, immortalising moments that have become legend: Pete Townshend destroying his guitar; Jimi Hendrix burning his.
A collaboration between American film-maker Sofia Coppola and Italian haute couture king Valentino comes in the form of a revival of Giuseppe Verdi’s classic opera, LA TRAVIATA.
Violetta Valéry is a well-known courtesan in Paris whose life appears to be glamorous, but who also suffers from a serious illness. She lives on the money given to her by her male patrons. But when she meets Alfredo Germont, a young man from a good family, they fall in love and move to the country. Alfredo’s father disapproves of their relationship and comes to tell Violetta that her involvement with Alfredo will ruin his family’s reputation. Out of her love for Alfredo, Violetta agrees to leave him and returns to Paris. Thinking she has betrayed him, Alfredo is heartbroken. He follows her to a party and publicly insults her. A few months later, Violetta is close to death. Alfredo, who has learned why Violetta left him, returns to her. He is shocked by her weakness as she strains to get to her feet. They vow to be together forever, but she soon collapses and breathes her last.
Director: Jon Watts.
Starring: Tom Holland, Robert Downey Jr, Michael Keaton. USA 2017. 133 mins.
Tom Holland reprises his role as Peter Parker/Spider-Man following his sensational debut in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War. Several months after his thrilling web-slinging cameo with The Avengers, Peter tries to settle back into life as an ordinary high-school student in Queens, New York City. Desperate to prove himself and exercise his superpowers, he gets his chance when a new threat emerges in the shape of The Vulture (Keaton).
Director: Mike Nichols. Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft, Katharine Ross. USA 1967. 105 mins.
This archly hilarious observation of smug, middle-class American mores remains a delight half a century after its release, as callow college graduate Dustin Hoffman is seduced by Mrs Robinson (Bancroft). Bancroft’s career-defining role is perfectly matched by Katharine Ross as her daughter, who ultimately takes Benjamin’s fancy. The Graduate confirmed director Mike Nichols’ talent for socially astute storytelling, with fabulous performances from some of his generation’s finest actors.
Director: Dmitrii Kalashnikov. 67min. Russian with English Subtitles. 2017
Video footage from a variety of dashboard cameras presents the absurd and frightening nature of Russia, alongside a series of bizarre car accidents on the country’s roads. More than once, angry motorists brandish axes, pistols or sledgehammers at the camera, and at times the camera itself seems to come to life, when it is chucked out of the car or stolen by someone breaking in. The footage of spectacular trips through a forest fire, tall snowdrifts or flooded streets is almost poetic – and what’s that up there in the sky? Is it a plane crashing, or could it be a comet? Bemused commentary from unseen drivers and passengers or the sound of the car radio provides unintentionally comical moments. Would someone please call 911?
Customers are invited to bring their well behaved dogs to this special screening. We will provide bowls of water inside and outside the screen, and blankets to cover the chairs so you can sit next to your four legged friend while the film is on.
Swiss director Claude Barras’s debut feature is a beautifully rendered, stop-motion animation, adapted by the gifted screenwriter Céline Sciamma (Girlhood, Tomboy) from Giles Paris’s eponymous novel. The improbably nicknamed Courgette (Schlatter) is a shy, bug-eyed kid, consigned to an orphanage after his alcoholic mother’s sudden death. However, Courgette’s unhappiness is tempered by the kindly policeman who escorts him to his new home and adventures with the other misfit children – a football-loving tomboy, shy Alice and an introverted dinosaur fan – are cleverly wrought to show how lessons learnt can shape a child’s character and prepare them for adult life. The story of the growing pains of youngsters is lovingly told, the animation and colouring terrific - all brilliantly befitting the narrative of a film that’s much more than simply kids’ entertainment.
12.00Dog-Friendly: Customers are welcome to bring their well behaved dogs into the cinema for this special screening.
Ad Free: No advertisements or trailers will play ahead of this screening. You are recommended to arrive promptly.
To mark the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales, we’re exploring our collective past through a season of exceptional British movies.
Nighthawks
Director: Ron Peck, Paul Hallam. Starring: Ken Robertson. UK 1978. 114 mins.
Often seen as Britain's first major gay film, Nighthawks is a vivid account of the London gay scene soon after decriminalisation, where, newly freed from the threat of imprisonment, men are able to seek love and sex in the dark confines of Soho clubs.
Director: Jon Watts.
Starring: Tom Holland, Robert Downey Jr, Michael Keaton. USA 2017. 133 mins.
Tom Holland reprises his role as Peter Parker/Spider-Man following his sensational debut in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War. Several months after his thrilling web-slinging cameo with The Avengers, Peter tries to settle back into life as an ordinary high-school student in Queens, New York City. Desperate to prove himself and exercise his superpowers, he gets his chance when a new threat emerges in the shape of The Vulture (Keaton).
The latest feature film from award-winning Japanese director Mamoru Hosoda (Summer Wars, Wolf Children): When Kyuta, a young orphan living on the streets of Shibuya, stumbles into a fantastic world of beasts, he"s taken in by Kumatetsu, a gruff, rough-around-the-edges warrior beast who"s been searching for the perfect apprentice. Despite their constant bickering, Kyuta and Kumatetsu begin training together and slowly form a bond as surrogate father and son. But when a deep darkness threatens to throw the human and beast worlds into chaos, the strong bond between this unlikely family will be put to the ultimate test--a final showdown that will only be won if the two can finally work together using all of their combined strength and courage.
Director: Jon Watts.
Starring: Tom Holland, Robert Downey Jr, Michael Keaton. USA 2017. 133 mins.
Tom Holland reprises his role as Peter Parker/Spider-Man following his sensational debut in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War. Several months after his thrilling web-slinging cameo with The Avengers, Peter tries to settle back into life as an ordinary high-school student in Queens, New York City. Desperate to prove himself and exercise his superpowers, he gets his chance when a new threat emerges in the shape of The Vulture (Keaton).
Director: Jon Watts.
Starring: Tom Holland, Robert Downey Jr, Michael Keaton. USA 2017. 133 mins.
Tom Holland reprises his role as Peter Parker/Spider-Man following his sensational debut in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War. Several months after his thrilling web-slinging cameo with The Avengers, Peter tries to settle back into life as an ordinary high-school student in Queens, New York City. Desperate to prove himself and exercise his superpowers, he gets his chance when a new threat emerges in the shape of The Vulture (Keaton).
Director: Dmitrii Kalashnikov. 67min. Russian with English Subtitles. 2017
There's only one thing we love more than docs, and that's talking about docs. Join us for a discussion about The Road Movie after this screening, moderated by Central Docs marketing manager Milana Vujkov.
Video footage from a variety of dashboard cameras presents the absurd and frightening nature of Russia, alongside a series of bizarre car accidents on the country’s roads. More than once, angry motorists brandish axes, pistols or sledgehammers at the camera, and at times the camera itself seems to come to life, when it is chucked out of the car or stolen by someone breaking in. The footage of spectacular trips through a forest fire, tall snowdrifts or flooded streets is almost poetic – and what’s that up there in the sky? Is it a plane crashing, or could it be a comet? Bemused commentary from unseen drivers and passengers or the sound of the car radio provides unintentionally comical moments. Would someone please call 911?
18.30Picturehouse Docs: Bringing you the best in new and topical documentaries covering issues around the world.
Central Docs Club: After the screening join us for an informal discussion about the film, all welcome.
The Donmar Warehouse presents the first part of Phyllida Lloyd's Shakespeare Trilogy in cinemas, which has been described by The Observer as “one of the most important theatrical events of the last twenty years”.
Julius Caesar depicts the catastrophic consequences of a political leader's extension of his powers beyond the remit of the constitution. As Brutus (Harriet Walter) wrestles with his moral conscience over the assassination of Julius Caesar (Jackie Clune), Mark Antony (Jade Anouka) manipulates the crowd through his subtle and incendiary rhetoric to frenzied mob violence.
“Lloyd's account of Julius Caesar seethes with menace, and here the prison setting makes perfect sense” ***** EVENING STANDARD
Phyllida Lloyd transforms her tense, arresting production of Shakespeare’s famous discourse on power, loyalty and tragic idealism into a gripping version for screen.
After the screening we'll be joined by Mick Rock for a Q&A.
Shot! The Psycho-Spiritual Mantra of Rock is a deep look into the mind of one of rock’s greatest living photographers: Mick Rock. Rock’s work with some of the most accomplished personalities of the past forty years - David Bowie, Queen, Blondie, Lou Reed and Iggy Pop – created many of the images that would come to define them. Presented in his own words, Rock takes us through his journey from the glam rock shimmer of London, through to the snarl of NYC punk and into the new millennium, combining a portrait of the man who did the work, with a look at what the work did to a man.
Director: Jon Watts.
Starring: Tom Holland, Robert Downey Jr, Michael Keaton. USA 2017. 133 mins.
Tom Holland reprises his role as Peter Parker/Spider-Man following his sensational debut in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War. Several months after his thrilling web-slinging cameo with The Avengers, Peter tries to settle back into life as an ordinary high-school student in Queens, New York City. Desperate to prove himself and exercise his superpowers, he gets his chance when a new threat emerges in the shape of The Vulture (Keaton).
To mark the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales, we’re exploring our collective past through a season of exceptional British movies.
Weekend
Director: Andrew Haigh. Starring: Tom Cullen, Chris New. UK 2011. 97 mins.
Andrew Haigh’s modern classic, a breakout hit and a milestone in British cinema, sees two young men find a one-night-stand turning into something far more serious. As their relationship deepens, they debate their daily struggles in an overwhelmingly straight world, and come to realise that despite almost half a century of progress, the fight for social equality is far from over.
18.30Criminal Acts: A Charged Past: A season to mark the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales.
Discover Tuesdays: Discover stunning cinema. Whether it's a cult classic, an art-house gem or a riveting documentary, there will always be a chance to see something different and brilliant in our weekly slot.
America in the mid-1980s. In the midst of the AIDS crisis and a conservative Reagan administration, New Yorkers grapple with life and death, love and sex, heaven and hell.
Andrew Garfield (Silence, Hacksaw Ridge) plays Prior Walter along with a cast including Denise Gough (People, Places and Things), Nathan Lane (The Producers), James McArdle (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) and Russell Tovey (The Pass).
This new staging of Tony Kushner’s multi-award winning two-part play is directed by Olivier and Tony award winning director Marianne Elliott (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and War Horse). Part One: Millennium Approaches was first performed at the National Theatre in 1992 and was followed by Part Two: Perestroika the following year.
Part One: Millennium Approaches will be broadcast live on 20 July 2017.
Rob Reiner's classic 1987 fairytale with a healthy dose of tongue-in-cheek humour, THE PRINCESS BRIDE remains as fresh and as entertaining today as when it was first released.
All the standard fairytale characters are here - the handsome prince, the beautiful princess, the ugly but good-hearted ogre, the evil king and the wise old man with a knack for potion making - but holding it all together is the inimitable humour of its creators William Goldman (novel and screenplay), Mel Brooks (producer) and of course Rob Reiner at the helm.
THE PRINCESS BRIDE will have you rolling about with laughter and by the time it's finished you'll want to repeat the journey all over again.
America in the mid-1980s. In the midst of the AIDS crisis and a conservative Reagan administration, New Yorkers grapple with life and death, love and sex, heaven and hell.
Andrew Garfield (Silence, Hacksaw Ridge) plays Prior Walter along with a cast including Denise Gough (People, Places and Things), Nathan Lane (The Producers), James McArdle (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) and Russell Tovey (The Pass).
This new staging of Tony Kushner’s multi-award winning two-part play is directed by Olivier and Tony award winning director Marianne Elliott (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and War Horse). Part One: Millennium Approaches was first performed at the National Theatre in 1992 and was followed by Part Two: Perestroika the following year.
Part One: Millennium Approaches will be broadcast live on 20 July 2017.
Director: Luc Besson. Starring: Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, Natalie Portman, Danny Aiello. USA 1994. 110 mins.
Following the acclaimed Subway, The Big Blue and Nikita, Leon was Luc Besson's eagerly awaited Hollywood debut. The eponymous Leon (Jean Reno) leads an isolated life as a 'cleaner': a cold, calculating man who drinks milk, lovingly tends to his plant, watches Gene Kelly movies, and kills people for a living. Mathilde (Natalie Portman) is a headstrong, streetwise 12-year-old who seeks refuge in Leon's flat when her family are murdered by a corrupt Drugs Enforcement Agency team headed by Stansfield (a marvellously over-the-top Gary Oldman). Determined to avenge her young brother, Mathilde begs Leon to teach her his trade, and the mismatched couple form an unusual partnership. Stylish direction and photography, a visceral portrayal of New York and splendid performances from the three leads, especially Natalie Portman in her screen debut, ensure that Leon is not just another violent thriller.
To mark the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales, we’re exploring our collective past through a season of exceptional British movies.
My Summer Of Love
Director: Pawel Pawlikowski. Starring: Emily Blunt, Natalie Press. UK 2004. 86 mins.
Pawel Pawlikowski's BAFTA-winning drama, a potent depiction of girlhood, young love and endless summers, finally returns to the big screen. A young Emily Blunt shines as bored rich kid Tamsin, who seduces working class Mona, to the dismay of the Christian community in their small Yorkshire village.
Spurned by Tito, Vitellia seeks revenge. Besotted Sesto agrees to avenge her as a token of his love, but all does not go to plan. A brand new take on one of Mozart’s final works.
Vitellia’s path to the throne is thwarted by the man who deposed her father, so she presses her admirer Sesto to murder him.
Driven by love, Sesto does his worst. But in return, receives a lesson in forgiveness.
Conducted by Robin Ticciati and directed by Claus Guth, Mozart’s opera delivers all of the sublime musical beauty and heart-tugging humanity we expect of him.
Loosely based on the life of the Roman Emperor Titus, La clemenza di Tito distills the suspense of Don Giovanni, the warmth of The Marriage of Figaro, and the nobility of The Magic Flute into one powerful parable of love and friendship, vengeance and mercy.
Australian tenor Steve Davislim makes his Glyndebourne debut as Tito, with Alice Coote as Vitellia and Kate Lindsey as Sesto.
Sung in Italian with English supertitles.
Also on screen this summer: a timeless production of La traviata (captured live in 2014) and Brett Dean’s brand new Shakespeare-inspired opera, Hamlet (live).
America in the mid-1980s. In the midst of the AIDS crisis and a conservative Reagan administration, New Yorkers grapple with life and death, love and sex, heaven and hell.
Andrew Garfield (Silence, Hacksaw Ridge) plays Prior Walter along with a cast including Denise Gough (People, Places and Things), Nathan Lane (The Producers), James McArdle (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) and Russell Tovey (The Pass).
This new staging of Tony Kushner’s multi-award winning two-part play is directed by Olivier and Tony award winning director Marianne Elliott (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and War Horse). Part One: Millennium Approaches was first performed at the National Theatre in 1992 and was followed by Part Two: Perestroika the following year.
Part One: Millennium Approaches will be broadcast live on 20 July 2017.
Director: Richard Thorpe. Starring: Elvis Presley, Judy Tyler, Mickey Shaughnessy, Vaughn Taylor. USA 1957. 95 mins.
One of the best of Elvis Presley's pre-Army films, Jailhouse Rock offers us the sensual, ‘dangerous’ Elvis that won the hearts of the kids and earned the animosity of their elders. Presley plays Vince Everett, a young buck who accidentally kills a man while protecting the honour of a woman. He is thrown into prison, and following his performance in the prison show, where ol' swivel-hips score a hit, he decides to stay in showbiz after his release. He sets up his own record company but success goes to his head, and he is deserted by his flunkeys and hangers-on. Everett learns the value of friendship and slowly rebuilds his reputation and career. Seldom would Elvis be so well showcased in the future.
To mark the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales, we’re exploring our collective past through a season of exceptional British movies.
Prick Up Your Ears
Director: Stephen Frears. Starring: Gary Oldman, Alfred Molina. UK 1987. 110 mins.
Stephen Frears and screenwriter Alan Bennett depict the realities of gay life in ’60s London in this classic ’80s drama. Gary Oldman and Alfred Molina star as controversial playwright Joe Orton and his partner Kenneth Halliwell. As Orton scales literary heights and Halliwell struggles to keep up, they descend into an increasingly tumultuous relationship, with devastating consequences.
The decay of Rome reaches violent depths in Shakespeare’s bloodiest play. Blanche McIntyre (The Two Noble Kinsmen) returns to the RSC to direct Shakespeare’s brutal revenge tragedy.
Titus is a ruler exhausted by war and loss. He relinquishes power, but leaves Rome in disorder. Rape, cannibalism and mutilation fill the moral void at the heart of this corrupt society.
Shakespeare presents us with murder as entertainment and, as the body count rises, poses questions about sexuality, family, class and society.
One of Merchant Ivory"s undisputed masterpieces, this adaptation of E.M. Forster"s classic 1910 novel is a saga of class relations and changing times in Edwardian England. Margaret Schlegel (Emma Thompson) and her sister Helen (Helena Bonham Carter) become involved with two couples: a wealthy, conservative industrialist (Anthony Hopkins) and his wife (Vanessa Redgrave), and a working-class man (Samuel West) and his mistress (Niccola Duffet). The interwoven fates and misfortunes of these three families and the diverging trajectories of the two sisters" lives are connected to the ownership of HOWARD"S END, a beloved country home. A compelling, brilliantly acted study of one woman"s struggle to maintain her ideals and integrity in the face of Edwardian society"s moribund conformist values.
America in the mid-1980s. In the midst of the AIDS crisis and a conservative Reagan administration, New Yorkers grapple with life and death, love and sex, heaven and hell.
Andrew Garfield (Silence, Hacksaw Ridge) plays Prior Walter along with a cast including Denise Gough (People, Places and Things), Nathan Lane (The Producers), James McArdle (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) and Russell Tovey (The Pass).
This new staging of Tony Kushner’s multi-award winning two-part play is directed by Olivier and Tony award winning director Marianne Elliott (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and War Horse). Part One: Millennium Approaches was first performed at the National Theatre in 1992 and was followed by Part Two: Perestroika the following year.
Part One: Millennium Approaches will be broadcast live on 20 July 2017.
To mark the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales, we’re exploring our collective past through a season of exceptional British movies.
Early ’60s London, and gay men across the city are being blackmailed, threatening exposure at a time when consensual homosexual acts could still result in imprisonment. Basil Dearden’s classic thriller stars Dirk Bogarde in his most daring role, as a gay lawyer fighting back against the blackmailers who dare to target him.
18.30Criminal Acts: A Charged Past: A season to mark the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales.
Discover Tuesdays: Discover stunning cinema. Whether it's a cult classic, an art-house gem or a riveting documentary, there will always be a chance to see something different and brilliant in our weekly slot.
This fender and genre-bending film takes us into the not-too-distant machine-driven future. Kokone should be diligently studying for her university entrance exams, but she just can’t seem to stay awake. Aside from stealing precious study time, her napping is even more distracting, as it brings on strange dreams with warring machines that hint at family secrets that have been dormant for years. She can’t ask her father, a hipster mechanic more talented and artful than his job requires, as he’s always busy modifying motorcycles and cars in flights of fancy. What are these visions that lead Kokone at once closer to and further away from her family?
The incredible Billie Piper (Penny Dreadful, Great Britain) returns in her Evening Standard Best Actress award-winning role. A young woman is driven to the unthinkable by her desperate desire to have a child in Simon Stone’s radical production of Lorca’s achingly powerful masterpiece. The unmissable theatre phenomenon sold out at the Young Vic and critics call it “an extraordinary theatrical triumph” (The Times) and “stunning, searing, unmissable” (Mail on Sunday). Billie Piper’s lead performance is described as “spellbinding” (The Evening Standard), “astonishing” (iNews) and “devastatingly powerful” (The Daily Telegraph). Set in contemporary London, Piper’s portrayal of a woman in her thirties desperate to conceive builds with elemental force to a staggering, shocking, climax. Please note that this broadcast does not have an interval.
★★★★★
“Brutal yet ferociously funny” - Metro
★★★★★
“Billie Piper makes a shattering Yerma in Simon Stone’s inspired reworking of Lorca” - The Observer
★★★★★
“A shatteringly powerful reinvention of a familiar classic” - The Independent
45 years after Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour filmed ‘Live At Pompeii’ in the legendary Roman Amphitheatre there, he returned for two spectacular shows, part of his year-long tour in support of his No.1 album ‘Rattle That Lock’. The performances were the first-ever rock concerts for an audience in the stone Roman amphitheatre, and, for two nights only, the 2,600 strong crowd stood exactly where gladiators would have fought in the first century AD.
‘David Gilmour Live At Pompeii’ is an audio-visual spectacle, featuring lasers, pyrotechnics and a huge circular screen on which specially-created films complement selected songs, but paramount above all is the astonishing music and stellar performances from an all-star band. The show includes songs from throughout David's career, as well as many Pink Floyd classics, including 'One Of These Days', the only song that was also performed at the band’s 1971 show.
Both concerts also saw very special performances of 'The Great Gig In The Sky' from 'The Dark Side Of The Moon', which David rarely plays as a solo artist. This concert performance film includes highlights from both shows, filmed in 4k by director Gavin Elder . ‘David Gilmour Live At Pompeii’ shows an artist at the top of his artistic game, performing incredible material with his world-class band, in a unique setting, on one very special occasion.
Songs include the title tracks of his two most recent No. 1 solo albums: Rattle That Lock and On An Island, as well as other solo and Pink Floyd classics, including Wish You Were Here and Comfortably Numb.
Mozart’s glorious opera 'The Magic Flute' is brought enchantingly to life in David McVicar’s production with beautiful sets by John Macfarlane. Prince Tamino promises the Queen of the Night that he will rescue her daughter Pamina from the enchanter Sarastro. He begins his quest, accompanied by the bird-catcher Papageno – but all is not as it seems…
David McVicar’s classic production embraces both the seriousness and comedy of Mozart’s work. The audience is transported to a fantastical world of dancing animals, flying machines and dazzlingly starry skies. The setting provides a wonderful backdrop for Mozart’s kaleidoscopic score, from the Queen of the Night’s coloratura fireworks to Tamino and Pamina’s lyrical love duets and Papageno’s hearty, folksong-like arias.
As well as being a comedy 'The Magic Flute' is an expression of Mozart’s profound spiritual beliefs: Enlightenment concerns with the search for wisdom and virtue are at the heart of this enchanting tale. The Magic Flute was an instant success with audiences and Mozart’s supposed rival Salieri described it as an ‘operone’ – a great opera.
When Rodolfo, a penniless poet, meets Mimì, a seamstress, they fall instantly in love. But their happiness is threatened when Rodolfo learns that Mimì is gravely ill.
Acclaimed director Richard Jones (Boris Godunov, Il trittico) directs a new production of Puccini’s 'La bohème'. Irresistible in its witty, passionate blend of comedy and tragedy, the opera focusses on the lives of a groupof young artists as they eke out an existence on the bohemian fringes of Paris, the capital of the 19th century. Jones brings his characteristically acute insight to this much-loved classic, visualized in Stewart Laing’s spectacular, stylized 1850s setting.
Puccini’s romantic depiction of bohemian Paris, with memorable music and a love story drawn from everyday life, has captivated audiences around the world, making La bohème one of the best-loved of all operas. It was first performed in Covent Garden in 1897 and has had more than five hundred performances there since.
A full-throttle war play that revels in the sweat of the battlefield, Coriolanus transports us back to the emergence of the republic of Rome.
Caius Martius Coriolanus is a fearless soldier but a reluctant leader. His ambitious mother attempts to carve him a path to political power, but he struggles to change his nature and do what is required to achieve greatness. In this new city state struggling to find its feet, where the gap between rich and poor is widening every day, Coriolanus must decide who he really is and where his allegiances lie.
Rome Season Director, Angus Jackson, completes the Royal Shakespeare Company’s collection of Shakespeare’s Roman plays with a visceral production which sees Sope Dirisu (One Night in Miami, Donmar Warehouse, 2016) take on the title role.
At a garden party on a sunny afternoon, Alice is surprised to see her parents’ friend Lewis Carroll transform into a white rabbit. When she follows him down a rabbit hole events become curiouser and curiouser… As Alice journeys through Wonderland, she encounters countless strange creatures. She’s swept off her feet by the charming Knave of Hearts, who’s on the run for stealing the tarts. Confusion piles upon confusion. Then Alice wakes with a start. Was it all a daydream?
Christopher Wheeldon’s 'Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland' burst onto the stage in 2011 in an explosion of colour, stage magic and inventive, sophisticated choreography. Joby Talbot’s score combines contemporary soundworlds with sweeping melodies that gesture to ballet scores of the 19th century. Bob Crowley’s wildly imaginative, eye-popping designs draw on everything from puppetry to projections to make Wonderland wonderfully real.
Alice encounters a cast of extraordinary and instantly recognizable characters, from the highly strung Queen of Hearts – who performs a hilarious send-up of The Sleeping Beauty's famous Rose Adage – to a playing-card corps de ballet, a sinuous caterpillar and a tap-dancing Mad Hatter. But the ballet does not avoid the darker undercurrents of Lewis Carroll’s story: a nightmarish kitchen, an eerily disembodied Cheshire Cat and the unhinged tea party are all here in vivid detail. The delicious result shows The Royal Ballet at its best, bringing together world-class dance with enchanting family entertainment.
Leaving the world of J-pop behind her, Mima Kirigoe begins life as an actress on a crime drama show called Double Blind. When offered a lead role in the show as a rape victim, Mima accepts in spite of her manager’s reservations. However, the backlash from fans over her career change and a strange website called ‘Mima's Room’, written by a fake Mima, begin to worry her. When a stalker appears and people involved in Double Blind begin turning up dead, with all the evidence pointing to her, Mima is thrown into a state of confusion, madness and paranoia.
The young Clara creeps downstairs on Christmas Eve to play with her favourite present – a Nutcracker doll. But the mysterious magician Drosselmeyer is waiting to sweep her off on a magical adventure. After defeating the Mouse King, the Nutcracker and Clara travel through the Land of Snow to the Kingdom of Sweets, where the Sugar Plum Fairy treats them to a wonderful display of dances. Back home, Clara thinks she must have been dreaming – but doesn’t she recognize Drosselmeyer’s nephew?
Peter Wright’s nigh-on definitive production for The Royal Ballet ranks as one of the most enduring and enchanting versions of 'The Nutcracker'. With its festive period setting, dancing snowflakes and enchanting stage magic, Lev Ivanov’s 1892 ballet has become the perfect Christmas entertainment, with Tchaikovsky’s sumptuous, sugar-spun music the most recognizable of all ballet scores.
Loosely based on the story by E.T.A. Hoffmann, the ballet opens with a lively Christmas party, its Victorian setting captured in opulent detail by Julia Trevelyan Oman’s designs. Wright’s choreography ingeniously incorporates surviving fragments of the ballet’s original material, including the sublime pas de deux for the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Prince. But in emphasizing the relationship between Clara and the Nutcracker Prince, the production also gains a touching subtext of first love.
The corruption of innocence is at the heart of Verdi’s potent tragedy in David McVicar’s production for The Royal Opera. Rigoletto, court jester to the libertine Duke of Mantua, is cursed by the father of one of the Duke’s victims for his irreverent laughter. When the Duke seduces Rigoletto’s daughter Gilda, it seems the curse is taking effect…
David McVicar’s production highlights the cruelty at the heart of the court of Mantua. Richly dressed courtiers engage in orgies and revelries to Verdi’s heady, spirited dances. The opera’s many musical highlights include the ebullient ‘La donna è mobile’, in which the Duke boasts of his disregard for women; Gilda’s exquisite, plangent duets with Rigoletto and the Duke; and the gorgeous Act III quartet that beautifully weaves the voices together as the story quickens to its shattering conclusion.
Giuseppe Verdi wrote in 1855 that Rigoletto was his ‘best opera’. He had had to overcome state censorship to stage it – the censors objected to its depiction of an immoral ruler – but he was vindicated by the premiere’s huge success in 1851. Rigoletto was performed 250 times in the next 10 years and has remained one of the most popular of all operas.
'Tosca' is one of the great evenings of opera, and from its strident opening chords conjures up a world of political instability and menace.
Jonathan Kent’s production for The Royal Opera captures the dangerous political turbulence of Rome in 1800. The Chief of Police, Scarpia – one of the most malevolent villains in opera – ruthlessly pursues and tortures enemies of the state. His dark, demonic music contrasts with the expansive melodies of the idealistic lovers, Tosca and Cavaradossi, who express their passion in sublime arias, including ‘Vissi d’arte’ and ‘E lucevan le stelle’. Giacomo Puccini’s dramatic work was a hit with audiences on its 1900 premiere and it remains one of the most performed of all operas – with its gripping plot and glorious music, it’s easy to see why.
A candle-lit church, Scarpia’s gloomy study with its hidden torture chamber and the false optimism of a Roman dawn: this handsome production throws into relief the ruthlessly taut drama, as the tension is wound up towards a fateful conclusion. Puccini’s meticulously researched score is infused with the same authentic detail, from distant cannon fire during the Act I Te Deum to tolling church bells and the sounds of a firing squad.
'I am all the daughters of my father's house,
And all the brothers too.'
Twelfth Night is a tale of unrequited love – hilarious and heartbreaking. Two twins are separated in a shipwreck, and forced to fend for themselves in a strange land. The first twin, Viola, falls in love with Orsino, who dotes on OIivia, who falls for Viola but is idolised by Malvolio. Enter Sebastian, who is the spitting image of his twin sister...
Christopher Luscombe, Director of the ‘glorious’ (Daily Telegraph) Love’s Labour’s Lost and Much Ado About Nothing (2014 and 2016), returns to the Royal Shakespeare Company to tackle Shakespeare’s greatest comedy, a brilliantly bittersweet account of "the whirligig of time".
Christopher Wheeldon, Artistic Associate of The Royal Ballet, created his adaptation of Shakespeare’s late great romance 'The Winter’s Tale' for The Royal Ballet in 2014. Building on the success of 'Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland', T'he Winter’s Tale' received ecstatic praise at its premiere, acclaimed by critics and audiences alike for its intelligent, distinctive and emotionally powerful story, told through exquisite dance. It is now widely judged to be a modern ballet classic.
The story follows the destruction of a marriage through consuming jealousy, the abandonment of a child and a seemingly hopeless love. Yet, through remorse and regret – and after a seemingly miraculous return to life – the ending is one of forgiveness and reconciliation. With powerful designs by Bob Crowley and atmospheric music by Joby Talbot, The Winter’s Tale is a masterful modern narrative ballet.
'Carmen' is the best-known work by French composer Georges Bizet, and one of the most famous operas in the entire art form – numbers such as the Habanera and the Toreador Song have permeated the popular consciousness as little else has. The opera’s heady combination of passion, sensuality and violence initially proved too much for the stage, and it was a critical failure on its 1875 premiere. Bizet died shortly after, and never learned of the spectacular success his Carmen would achieve: the opera has been performed more than five hundred times at Covent Garden alone.
This ever-popular opera is given a fresh point of view in Barrie Kosky’s highly physical production, originally created for Frankfurt Opera. The Australian director is one of the world’s most sought-after opera directors, whose Royal Opera debut with Shostakovich’s The Nose in 2016 was greeted with delight. For Carmen he has devised a far-from-traditional version, incorporating music written by Bizet for the score but not usually heard, and giving a new voice to the opera’s endlessly fascinating central character.
Leonard Bernstein was one of the first classical composers in America to achieve both popular and critical acclaim. He was eclectic in his sources – drawing on jazz and modernism, the traditions of Jewish music and the Broadway musical – and many of Bernstein’s scores are remarkably well suited to dance. He was particularly associated with Jerome Robbins, their credits together including Fancy Free and West Side Story. To celebrate the centenary year of the composer’s birth, The Royal Ballet has united all three of its associate choreographers to celebrate the dynamic range and danceability of Bernstein’s music.
The programme includes two world premieres by Resident Choreographer Wayne McGregor and Artistic Associate Christopher Wheeldon, marking each artist’s first foray into Bernstein. At the heart of the programme is the first revival of Artist in Residence Liam Scarlett’s The Age of Anxiety, created in 2014 to Bernstein’s soul-searching Second Symphony. Both symphony and ballet are inspired by W.H. Auden’s masterful modernist poem, itself written in response to the atmosphere of disillusionment and uncertainty that followed the end of World War II.
Verdi’s life-long love affair with Shakespeare’s works began with Macbeth, a play he considered to be ‘one of the greatest creations of man’. With his librettist, Francesco Maria Piave, Verdi set out to create ‘something out of the ordinary’. Their success is borne out in every bar of a score that sees Verdi at his most theatrical: it bristles with demonic energy.
The warrior Macbeth fights on the side of the King of Scotland – but when a coven of witches prophesy that he shall become king himself, a ruthless ambition drives Macbeth and his wife to horrific acts.Murder makes Macbeth king, and intrigue and butchery are the hallmarks of his brief, doomed reign. The witches make another prediction, which also comes true: Macbeth and his lady lose their lives, and justice is restored.
Phyllida Lloyd’s 2002 production for The Royal Opera is richly hued, shot through with black, red and gold. The witches – imagined by designer Anthony Ward as strange, scarlet-turbaned creatures – are ever-present agents of fate. Lloyd depicts the Macbeths’ childlessness as the dark sadness lurking behind their terrible deeds. The Royal Opera’s production uses Verdi’s 1865 Paris revision of the opera, which includes Lady Macbeth’s riveting aria ‘La luce langue’.
Manon’s brother Lescaut is offering her to the highest bidder when she meets Des Grieux and falls in love. They elope to Paris, but when Monsieur G.M. offers Manon a life of luxury as his mistress she can’t resist. With the Lescauts’ encouragement Des Grieux cheats at cards in an attempt to win Monsieur G.M.’s fortune. They are caught. Manon is arrested as a prostitute and deported to New Orleans, followed by Des Grieux. On the run, Manon dies from exhaustion.
Kenneth MacMillan’s source for Manon was the 18th-century French novel already adapted for opera by Massenet and Puccini. The premiere was given on 7 March 1974, with the lead roles danced by Antoinette Sibley and Anthony Dowell. The ballet quickly became a staple of The Royal Ballet’s repertory, and a touchstone of adult, dramatic dance.
MacMillan found new sympathy with the capricious Manon and her struggle to escape poverty. Designs by his regular collaborator Nicholas Georgiadis reflect this, depicting a world of lavish splendour polluted by miserable destitution. MacMillan’s spectacular ensemble scenes for the whole Company create vivid, complex portraits of the distinct societies of Paris and New Orleans. But it is Manon and Des Grieux’s impassioned pas de deux – recalling the intensity of MacMillan’s earlier Romeo and Juliet – that drive this tragic story, and make Manon one of MacMillan’s most powerful dramas.
'Swan Lake' has had a special role in the repertory of The Royal Ballet since 1934. This Season The Royal Ballet creates a new production with additional choreography by Artist in Residence Liam Scarlett. While remaining faithful to the Petipa-Ivanov text, Scarlett will bring fresh eyes to the staging of this classic ballet, in collaboration with his long-term designer John Macfarlane.
Prince Siegfried chances upon a fl ock of swans while out hunting. When one of the swans turns into a beautiful woman, Odette, he is enraptured. But she is under a spell that holds her captive, allowing her to regain her human form only at night.
'Swan Lake' was Tchaikovsky’s first ballet score. Given its status today as arguably the best loved and most admired of all classical ballets, it is perhaps surprising that at its premiere in 1877 Swan Lake was poorly received. It is thanks to the 1895 production by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov that Swan Lake has become part of not only ballet consciousness but also wider popular culture. That success is secured not only by the sublime, symphonic sweep of Tchaikovsky’s score, but also by the striking choreographic contrasts between Petipa’s royal palace scenes and the lyric lakeside scenes created by Ivanov.
