Best theater streaming this month: Big and bold Bacchae ushers in a new era on the National | platform

Bakshay

The National Theatre’s new artistic director, Indu Rubasingham, began her tenure last fall with a big, bold take on Euripides at the Olivier Theater – by a debut playwright. Heartstopper star Nima Taleghani’s version, featuring choreography by Kate Prince and with Claire Perkins conducting the ‘raucous Greek chorus’, comes to the NT at Home on 6 February. Followed by a Q&A with Rubasingham.

Kiss me, Kate

The Barbican has gained a reputation for great summer musicals, such as High Society and Sunday in the Park with George on the horizon. In 2024, Adrian Dunbar and Stephanie J. Block improv Shakespeare as sparring partners in Cole Porter’s comedy based on The Taming of the Shrew. On BBC iPlayer.

(No) Crowd: Desire, Revolution, and Refuge

“Dance is a refuge for people who need a space to express themselves differently,” says French group (La)Horde in this documentary for the BBC’s Arts in Motion programme. Explores how the explosive trio took control of (and opened) the National Ballet of Marseille and the influences on their work, from social media to strip clubs.

problem

Nothing beats a live performance, but dancing on screen can add intensity through the kind of close-ups used in this disturbing Arte.tv film by director Laura Bachman. You’ll feel all the awkwardness as dancer Marion Barbot is overcome with fear first on a crowded bus and then in a nightclub crowd, before clashing with actor Felix Kessel in a tense duet.

Twelfth Night meeting

Giles Brandreth brings together an all-star cast—including Judi Dench, Simon Callow, Stephen Fry, and Penelope Wilton—to hear their memories of performing Shakespeare’s bittersweet theatrical gem. An enchanting evening of speeches and songs, staged at Richmond’s Orange Tree Tour, is available on YouTube.

Poor judge

This seems like a perfect fit for Aimee Mann fans. From February 2-22, Pig Iron’s engaging and engaging dance theater cabaret, featuring Mann hits like Save Me and Goose Snow Cone, is available on request from Philadelphia’s Wilma Theater.

Winter’s Tale

Spring is just around the corner, so bid farewell to winter – and embrace the wonders of Bohemia – with a stunning stage production of Shakespeare’s 1998 tragicomedy. Anthony Sher stars as Leontes in a production directed by Gregory Doran and choreographed by Robert Jones. On the theater channel.

Finalists for BBC Audio Drama Awards

All three nominees for Best Original Single Drama in the annual BBC Audio Awards are available online. Roy Williams’ “The Final Touch” is about football and brotherhood, while “One Hundred and Fifty Days” combines two pieces by the late playwright Oliver Emanuel and “Sleaze,” a reflection on the 1910s music industry by Joe Von Malakowski and Will Close. The winner will be revealed on March 1.