National Theatre Live: The Motive and the Cue (Encore)

The Motive and the Cue comes to the Redgrave Theatre on Wednesday 24 February as a National Theatre Live encore. It's a screening of the play, directed by Sam Mendes and written by Jack Thorne, which was filmed live during its sold-out London run in 2023. If you missed it when it first played, this is your second chance to catch it on the big screen.

The story is set in 1964 and follows Richard Burton as he prepares to play Hamlet under the exacting direction of John Gielgud. It's a clash of two generations of theatre, with tensions rising between the two as they work through the role. Mark Gatiss plays Gielgud, and Johnny Flynn takes on Burton, so you've got two big names at the centre of it. The whole thing was captured live during that London run, and this encore brings the recording to the cinema screen rather than the stage.

Practical details: the screening runs 2 hours and 20 minutes, including the interval, and doors open 30 minutes before the performance. Age guidance is 15+, and under-18s need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Tickets are £15, with educational groups paying £10, plus a £1.50 booking fee per ticket. The Redgrave is on Percival Road in Clifton, Bristol BS8 3LE.