National Theatre Live: Golden Boy

Broadbent Theatre is screening Golden Boy on Friday 20 November, part of the National Theatre Live season. It's a filmed production of Clifford Odets' American classic, captured live at the Almeida Theatre in London, so you get the full stage performance on the big screen rather than a recorded version. The screening is accompanied by a live string quartet, which adds a bit more to the night than just sitting through a recording.

Josh O'Connor leads the cast in this revival, and if you recognise him from The Crown or Challengers, this is a very different kind of role. He plays Joe Bonaparte, a gifted young violinist in 1930s New York, right at the height of the Depression. The story follows Joe as a chance at fame and fortune lures him away from the violin and into the brutal world of professional boxing. From there, it becomes a drama about what he's willing to sacrifice, who he's willing to become, and how to find his place in a world that demands he choose a side. It's a play that weighs ambition, identity and the high price of success, and the boxing ring serves as a pretty stark contrast to the violin he leaves behind.

Behind the production is Olivier Award-winner Sam Yates, who directed Vanya, and the whole thing is billed as a revival of Odets' American classic. The live string quartet playing alongside the screening is a nice touch, especially given that the main character starts the play as a violinist.

The screening is at Broadbent Theatre in Wickenby, LN3 5AW, on Friday 20 November, starting at 7pm. Tickets are from £12.