Sophie Thompson

National Theatre Live: Present Laughter

Matthew Warchus

Andrew Scott, Kitty Archer

As he prepares to embark on an overseas tour, star actor Garry Essendine’s colourful life is in danger of spiralling out of control. Engulfed by an escalating identity crisis as his many and various relationships compete for his attention, Garry’s few remaining days at home are a chaotic whirlwind of love, sex, panic and soul-searching.

National Theatre Live: She Stoops to Conquer

Jamie Lloyd

David Fynn, Harry Hadden-Paton

Hardcastle, a man of substance, looks forward yo acquainting his daughter with his old pal's son with a view to marriage. But thanks to playboy Lumpkin, he's mistaken by his prospective son-in-law Marlow for an innkeeper, his daughter for the local barmaid. The good news is, while Marlow can barely speak to a woman of quality he's a charmer with those of a different stamp. And so, as Hardcastle's indignation intensifies, Miss Hardcastle's appreciation for her misguided suitor soars. Misdemeanours multiply, love blossoms, mayhem ensues. One of the great, generous-hearted and ingenious comedies of the English language, Goldsmith's She Stoops to Conquer offers a celebration of chaos, courtship and the dysfunctional family.

Discovering Hamlet

Mark Olshaker

Derek Jacobi, Kenneth Branagh

IN 1988, rising star Kenneth Branagh tackled the role of Shakespeare’s prince of Denmark for the first time in his professional career under the guidance of celebrated actor Derek Jacobi. Narrated by Patrick Stewart, this hour-long film documents how Kenneth Branagh and Derek Jacobi, two intelligent and passionate men, found new depths in Shakespeare’s classic drama, Hamlet. Filmmakers Mark Olshaker and Larry Klein follow the company through four weeks of rehearsals, from the first read-throughs to opening night.

Company

Sam Mendes

Adrian Lester, Rebecca Front

The Donmar Warehouse production of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's classic musical, starring Adrian Lester and directed by Sam Mendes.

David Macaulay: Roman City

Larry Klein

David Macaulay, Ian McKellen

The glories of Ancient Rome are explored in ROMAN CITY, based on David Macaulay's acclaimed book. This animated and live-action video recounts life in Verbonia, a fictional city in Gaul. A well-planned town with all modern conveniences, it is threatened by conflict between conquerors and conquered. Macaulay also visits Pompeii, Herculaneum, Ostia, Nimes, Orange, and Rome, to view actual Roman architecture and engineering greatness.

Message for Posterity

David Hugh Jones

Eric Porter, John Neville

A version of Dennis Potter's play for television, remade shortly before his death as the original 1960s version had been wiped.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

David Yates

Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint

Harry, Ron and Hermione walk away from their last year at Hogwarts to find and destroy the remaining Horcruxes, putting an end to Voldemort's bid for immortality. But with Harry's beloved Dumbledore dead and Voldemort's unscrupulous Death Eaters on the loose, the world is more dangerous than ever.

The Death of the Heart

Peter Hammond

Phyllis Calvert, JoJo Cole

A young orphan girl, Portia, goes to live with her well-to-do aunt and uncle. As she is groomed to become a lady, she is confused by the young man who seems to be courting her. Surrounded by pretentious people who have no clue how to deal with teenagers, she soon loses her naïveté and thinks of running away.

Persuasion

Roger Michell

Amanda Root, Киаран Хиндс

Anne Elliot, the daughter of a financially troubled aristocratic family, is persuaded to break her engagement to Frederick Wentworth, a young sea captain of meager means. Years later, money troubles force Anne's father to rent out the family estate to Admiral Croft, and Anne is again thrown into company with Frederick -- who is now rich, successful, and perhaps still in love with Anne.

Mr. Bean: Torvill and Bean

Роуэн Себастьян Аткинсон, Sophie Thompson

In this episode "Torvill and Bean" -- a play on Torvill and Dean, a famous figure-skating team -- the luckless Mr. Bean wreaks his usual havoc when he attends a performance of "Show on Ice."

The Importance of Being Earnest

Michael Fentiman

Sophie Thompson, Fiona Button

A new production of one of the funniest plays in English, Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, was broadcast live to cinemas from the Vaudeville Theatre in London’s West End and is now available as a recorded programme. Wilde’s much-loved masterpiece throws love, logic and language into the air to make one of theatre’s most dazzling firework displays. Jack, Algy, Gwendolyn and Cecily discover how unsmooth runs the course of true love, while Lady Bracknell keeps a baleful eye on the mayhem of manners.

That Day We Sang

Victoria Wood

Imelda Staunton, Michael Ball

TV Film adaptation of Victoria Wood's hit musical set in Manchester in 1929 and 1969. When middle aged loners Tubby and Enid attend a reunion of the choir in which they sang as children, the music evokes powerful memories, leading them to realise they still have a chance to find happiness.

The Master Blackmailer

Peter Hammond

Jeremy Brett, Edward Hardwicke

For years, a blackmailer has been preying on the weaknesses of others throughout London. When Holmes hears of the utter misery this mystery man is creating, he adopts a campaign to thwart his evil scheming. The campaign astonishes Dr. Watson by its strangeness and finds Holmes falling in love.

The Railway Children

Catherine Morshead

Clare Thomas, Jack Blumenau

Set at the turn of the 20th century, The Railway Children tells the story of three Edwardian children and their mother who move to a country house in Yorkshire after their father is mysteriously taken away by the police.

The Making of 'Gosford Park'

Danny Miller

Robert Altman, Julian Fellowes

A documentary giving film fans a behind-the-scenes look at the making this Robert Altman film about a murder at an English country estate. Includes interviews with the cast and crew, who relate some of their experiences with making the film, as well as giving their views on all the work that went into it.

Gosford Park

Robert Altman

Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon

In 1930’s England, a group of pretentious rich and famous gather together for a weekend of relaxation at a hunting resort. But when a murder occurs, each one of these interesting characters becomes a suspect.