Sunderland's Fire Station to show nine National Theatre productions

The screenings begin on Monday, July 22 with Nye on the High Street West venue’s giant 4k screen, with NT Live events running monthly until April 2025.

Michael Sheen plays Nye Bevan in a surreal and spectacular journey through the life and legacy of the man who transformed Britain’s welfare state and created the NHS.

Confronted with death, Aneurin “Nye” Bevan’s deepest memories lead him on a mind-bending journey back through life; from childhood to mining, Parliament and fights with Churchill.

The run continues on Monday, August 26 with the acclaimed production of Noël Coward’s provocative comedy Present Laughter, featuring Andrew Scott (Vanya, Fleabag).

As he prepares to embark on an overseas tour, star actor Garry Essendine’s colourful life is in danger of spiralling out of control.

Engulfed by an escalating identity crisis as his many and various relationships compete for his attention, Garry’s few remaining days at home are a chaotic whirlwind of love, sex, panic and soul-searching.

Filmed live from The Old Vic in London during a sold out run in 2019, Matthew Warchus (Matilda The Musical) directs this “giddy and surprisingly modern reflection on fame, desire and loneliness”.

The third and final screening announced so far promises to be hugely popular.

Prima Facie brings Jodie Comer’s (Killing Eve) Olivier and Tony Award-winning performance in Suzie Miller’s one-woman play to The Fire Station on Monday, September 23.

The play tells the story of Tessa, a young, brilliant barrister who has worked her way up from working class origins to be at the top of her game; defending; cross examining and winning.

An unexpected event “forces her to confront the lines where the patriarchal power of the law, burden of proof and morals diverge”.

Justin Martin directs. It was originally captured live in 2022 during a sold out run at the Harold Pinter Theatre run in London’s West End.

Tickets to see each production in Sunderland are £14 from The Fire Station’s website.

Further screenings will be announced in the coming months months via the venue’s mailing list and social media platforms.