A new research report commissioned by the National Theatre has found that theatre streaming services and cinema screenings of stage performances are not a threat to in-person attendance and are actually making audiences more adventurous.
Key Findings
The research, conducted by the agency Indigo, surveyed approximately 5,500 UK-based respondents over 11 days. It revealed that 93% of those who watched filmed theatre in cinemas or via streaming also attended a live performance. In-person theatre remains the clear preference, with 89% of respondents favouring it.
Indhu Rubasingham, the National Theatre's director, stated that the boom in filmed theatre raised questions about its impact on live attendance, but the research shows it is complementary rather than competitive.
Benefits of Watching at Home
The survey identified several benefits of watching theatre at home. The most popular was convenience, including the ability to pause and resume. The second most cited benefit was discovering new performances not previously considered. Other advantages included rewatching shows and accessing more performances than possible in person.
Respondents noted that watching at home is a lower-risk way to try something new, with financial pressures limiting live attendance. Indigo's report found little evidence that filmed theatre reduces overall in-person attendance.
Audience Demographics
Filmed theatre skews younger than in-person attendance, with over half of under-35s streaming theatre in the past 12 months. Streaming also increases accessibility: 20% of home viewers are disabled, compared with 15% of in-person audiences.
Kerry Radden, associate director at Indigo, said: "Our sector has been worrying about what filmed theatre means since the pandemic. Our research discovered that filmed theatre has the potential to grow audiences rather than being a threat."
Industry Perspectives
Matt Risley, the National Theatre's chief digital officer, emphasised that filmed theatre should not replace live performances but complement them by lowering barriers and supporting discovery. Tom Powis, executive director of Wessex Grove, noted that filmed theatre boosts the life of productions with short runs.
Director Justin Martin, whose productions Prima Facie and Inter Alia became NT Live hits, highlighted the artistic potential of filmed theatre. He likened close-ups in Inter Alia to his rehearsal room experience, saying: "You can control rhythm in a different way." He called for future productions to use more cameras and angles.
Success Stories
Prima Facie, starring Jodie Comer, has been watched by around 1.5 million people in cinemas since 2022. Inter Alia, starring Rosamund Pike, reached 50,000 live broadcast viewers in the UK and over 450,000 worldwide via NT Live—more than seven times its in-person audience. It is currently in the West End and will transfer to Broadway.
Martin and playwright Suzie Miller are planning a third play to complete a legal trilogy, with streamable films described as "an experience you can't have in the theatre, like a box set."
Rubasingham concluded that NT at Home and NT Live are not side projects but essential to meeting audiences where they are and extending the life and reach of performances.
