Complete Guide to the National Theatre Collection

The National Theatre Collection allows you to stream hit National Theatre productions, directly into your classroom.

The National Theatre Collection is the name of the new service to replace National Theatre On Demand, which ended in July 2020.

From Shakespeare and Greek tragedy to contemporary literary adaptations, the National Theatre Collection brings the best of British Theatre to all state-funded schools for free.

Teachers get access to high-quality recordings of 29 world-class productions, plus a range of tailored learning resources supporting the primary and secondary curriculum.

Productions are recorded live at the National Theatre and other leading venues giving students the best seats in the house whenever you want.

Productions are also accompanied by supporting teaching resources, rehearsal insights and short films. All to help you connect the production with the curriculum and aid students’ understanding of play texts, including the theatre-making process.

Productions available on the National Theatre Collection:

The National Theatre Collection has 29 productions you can stream into your classroom including Shakespeare, Greek Theatre, Comedies, European Classics, American Classics, Adaptations of Novels and New Writing. Titles include hit productions from the National Theatre as well as the Young Vic, Donmar Warehouse and the Bridge Theatre.

Productions suitable for:

Primary

You can introduce your students to Shakespeare with adaptations of Romeo and Juliet and The Winter’s Tale – created for younger audiences. Primary students can also discover the magic of storytelling with adaptations of the classic novels Peter Pan and Treasure Island.

Secondary – English

Explore Shakespeare productions of Macbeth, Othello, Hamlet, Twelfth Night, King Lear (Donmar Warehouse), Coriolanus (Donmar Warehouse), Julius Caesar (Bridge Theatre). You can also watch acclaimed adaptations of literary classics Frankenstein, Jane Eyre and Small Island.

Secondary – Drama and Theatre Studies

Discover a range of theatrical styles, from Greek tragedies including Antigone and Medea to the American greats of A Streetcar Named Desire (Young Vic), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Young Vic) and Les Blancs, to European 20th-century classics such as Yerma (Young Vic), The Cherry Orchard, The Deep Blue Sea and Translations.

Secondary – Technical Theatre and Production Arts

Compare extraordinary examples of design and theatre-craft through a diverse range of productions and genres, including classic comedies One Man, Two Guvnors, She Stoops to Conquer and London Assurance. Also available are visionary works of new writing, such as Dara, Consent and wonder.land.

Full list of productions available on the National Theatre Collection

• A Streetcar Named Desire (Young Vic)
• A View from the Bridge (Young Vic)
• All My Sons (Old Vic)
• Antigone
• Barber Shop Chronicles
• Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Young Vic)
• Consent
• Coriolanus (Donmar Warehouse)
• Dara
• Frankenstein
• Hamlet
• Hedda Gabler
• I Want My Hat Back
• Jane Eyre
• Julie
• Julius Caesar (Bridge Theatre)
• King Lear (Donmar Warehouse)
• Les Blancs
• London Assurance
• Macbeth
• Medea
• One Man, Two Guvnors
• Othello
• Peter Pan
• Romeo and Juliet (adapted for younger audiences)
• She Stoops to Conquer
• Small Island
• The Cherry Orchard
• The Deep Blue Sea
• The Seagull
• The Winter’s Tale (adapted for younger audiences)
• This House
• Three Sisters
• Translations
• Treasure Island
• Twelfth Night
• Yerma (Young Vic)
• wonder.land

How to sign-up to the National Theatre Collection

The National Theatre Collection is available for free for all UK state schools and currently available as a free trial to all other educational institutions. 

UK State-Funded Schools.

You can easily sign-up to access the NT Collection via an online form on the JCS Online Resources website. Once verified, you will be provided with a username and password (one per school) to access the platform.

Sign up to the National Theatre Collection through JCS Online Resources.

Find out more about the National Theatre Collection for UK State Schools. 

All other Schools & Educational Institutions.

If you are a teacher at a fee-paying school or another type of educational institution, you can sign-up through the Bloomsbury Drama Online website.

There is a free trial available, after which point the Collection is available on subscription and as a one-time purchase.

Sign up to the National Theatre Collection through Bloomsbury Drama Online.

Find out more about the National Theatre Collection for fee-paying and other institutions.

The National Theatre Collection during the Coronavirus pandemic

During this unprecedented time, the National Theatre has opened up the license to the NT Collection. Teachers and students in UK state schools can access the platform from home for free.

Students will be able to access all productions, plus accompanying learning resources and other educational content.

Find out more about the National Theatre’s Educational Offering

As well as the National Theatre Collection, the NT offers a wide range of education packs, educational videos and other resources that you can use for free.

Find out more in our complete guide on the National Theatre’s Education Offering.