National Theatre Live’s 2010 broadcast of Alan Bennett’s acclaimed play The Habit of Art, with Richard Griffiths, Alex Jennings, and Frances de la Tour, returns to cinemas as part of the National Theatre's 50th anniversary celebrations. Benjamin Britten, sailing uncomfortably close to the wind with his new opera, Death in Venice, seeks advice from his former collaborator and friend, W H Auden. During this imagined meeting, their first for 25 years, they are observed and interrupted by, amongst others, their future biographer and a young man from the local bus station. Alan Bennett’s play is as much about the theatre as it is about poetry or music. It looks at the unsettling desires of two difficult men, and at the ethics of biography. It reflects on growing old, on creativity and inspiration, and on persisting when all passion’s spent: ultimately, on the habit of art. One of the first five episodes also released on terrestrial TV on a 2009 BBC TV series titled "National Theatre Live".
Nicholas Hytner, Robin Lough
Director
Richard Griffiths
Fitz / W. H. Auden
Alex Jennings
Henry / Benjamin Britten
Frances de la Tour
Kay
Stephen Wight
Tim / Stuart
Philip Childs
Brian
Elliot Levey
Neil
John Heffernan
George
Barbara Kirby
Joan
Martin Chamberlain
Ralph
Laurence Belcher
Young Boy
Adrian Scarborough
Donald / Humphrey Carpenter
With This is Us now on its fifth season and A Million Little Things on its third, we have a lot of material to entertain the hypothetical: if these two shows got in the ring together, who would come out victorious? Despite the endless recognition for the former’s success, I dare say I’d put my money on A Million Little Things once all is said and done.
The sequel to the 2010 live-action movie focuses on sibling rivalry.
The Christmas Horror section of films is growing, and today we present a bold selection of new and old Christmas horror films to celebrate this macabre union.
Bigg County Restorations is a zany new pilot from comedians Joe Bell and Mikaela Watkins. In a spot-on parody of History Channel shows like American Restoration and Pawn Stars, Paul Bigg (John Jezior) works to restore kitschy decor for celebrities while his good-for-nothing adult children, Britney (Mikaela Watkins) and Junior (Joe Bell) go on wacky adventures while slacking off on the menial tasks they’ve been assigned. In the pilot, Britney and Mikaela’s day goes off the rails pretty fast.
Black Christmas movies are few and far in between to find — so it is wonderful to see more representation on the screen just in time
Intergenerational friendships and community can be so powerful, and this was a great example.