The full canon of Shakespeare’s plays performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company has now been uploaded and made available to stream for the first time. Streaming service Marquee TV offers a wide range of theatre productions, including A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Matthew Baynton.
Exploring the Recent Rise of Streaming in Theatre
The rise of streaming has allowed worldwide audiences to witness performances from renowned theatres without needing to be physically present. Whether it is a Broadway show or a small local production, streaming allows people to access several cultural events instantly, far surpassing the limitations of a traditional venue. This trend is also evident in other entertainment verticals, with Amazon Prime offering the option to rent newly-released titles for those who don’t want to venture to the cinema. Their investment in Amazon Luna, a cloud gaming platform, also showcases their commitment to digitising entertainment.
Even in iGaming, we are witnessing a rise in streaming. When you play online blackjack, you’ll see game variants like Easy Blackjack Live and Infinite Stacker Blackjack Live. Games like this allow you to connect with a live dealer from the comfort of your own home. They offer interactive gameplay and expansive digital platforms that help to mirror the setting of a real casino, again, allowing people to engage without physically being present. By making the streaming experience more interactive, with options to place bets digitally, user engagement is also much higher.
The theatre sector has followed suit here, with audiences now being given the chance to pause, rewind, or add subtitles to performances. Behind-the-scenes footage is also usually added to theatre platforms to coincide with the release of new productions. By giving people the chance to peep behind the curtain, the whole experience becomes more immersive.
Exploring the Work of Shakespeare Online
Some of the recent shows that have been added to the platform include Richard II, a 2013 production. David Tennant starred in the show and it proved to be a hit with fans. You also have the Hamlet performance of 2016, and Christopher Eccleston’s debut with Macbeth. The Tempest also documented the first use of motion capture, with Simon Russell Beale taking centre stage as Prospero.
With streaming helping to redefine theatre as we know it, it is helping to provide a global stage for great works. It also gives people the chance to witness classic plays, like that of Shakespeare, in a whole new format. With 35 plays added to the platform, all of which were filmed at the RSC, it’s safe to say that there is something for everyone. The platform also has a range of ballet shows available to stream, with an expansive catalogue of classics for those who are interested in more historic releases. You can view the latest shows that have been added on the Marquee website but to watch anything on the site you will need to pay for a subscription. You can pay £8.99 a month or you can save by taking out a yearly subscription. This will cost £89.99 for a year.
