What is National Theatre at Home?
An on-demand streaming platform for filmed-live plays. It’s available worldwide and can be watched on any internet-connected device through web browser, or on the National Theatre at Home app via iOS, Android, Amazon Fire or Roku TV.
You can watch play recordings from National Theatre Live and the National Theatre Archive. New plays are added every month, so there’s always something to look forward to.
It works like any other streaming service. You can choose to subscribe by the month, year or just rent a single play.
Please visit the Vimeo Help Centre or contact support if you need help with the below:
- Subscribing or Signing In
- Purchasing or Renting
- Technical issues
Otherwise, this help area contains answers to frequently asked questions.
What options do I have to watch National Theatre at Home? What is the difference between subscription and renting a single play?
If you subscribe to National Theatre at Home, you will get unlimited access to all available plays on National Theatre at Home. You can also enjoy early access to new plays that are added every month and exclusive behind-the-scenes content.
You can choose to subscribe month-by-month and can cancel anytime. Or subscribe for the year and get 12 months for the price of 10.
If you rent a single play, you will get access to this play only, and have three days (72-hours) to finish watching it once you click the play button. Make sure you finish it within this window as there are no extensions once the 72-hour period ends.
How long can I rent a single play for?
You can rent a play for 3 days (72 hours).
Once you have purchased the play, you will receive an email confirmation. Once you have press play to start the play you rented, you have three days (72 hours) from this point to finish watching.
At the end of the third day, after 72 hours, you will no longer have access to the play. Remember when you started your play to make sure you get to watch the play in full and don’t miss out!
If you subscribe to National Theatre at Home, you can watch our available catalogue of plays whenever you want, wherever you want with no time restrictions.
How much does National Theatre at Home cost?
You can choose to subscribe by the month, year or just rent a single play.
Subscription
- Monthly subscription £9.98 / US$12.99 + tax
- Annual subscription £99.98 / US$129.99 + tax – 12 months for the price of 10.
Rent
- National Theatre Archive play recording £5.99 / US$7.99 + tax
- National Theatre Live play recording £7.99 / US$9.99 + tax
Other international currencies available, please visit the check-out pages on ntathome.com for pricing in your country.
What is a National Theatre Live recording?
Play recordings from National Theatre Live were filmed-live in the theatre for broadcast to cinemas around the world.
The aim of these recordings is to replicate as closely as possible the experience of the play the theatre, for audiences watching in cinema. Multiple broadcast-quality cameras are used in the auditorium, arranged in a specific way to capture each production in the highest quality possible and the cameras rehearse recording the play twice to make sure every moment is captured perfectly.
Broadcast professionals work with the plays technical team to optimise every element on stage such as lighting, hair and make-up so it looks the best it can when shown on the big screen.
What is a National Theatre Archive recording?
Play recordings from the National Theatre Archive were filmed-live in the theatre with the aim of documenting these productions for archive purposes.
A limited number of cameras are used to capture the plays so there is less variety in the shots and angles, and lighting and sound are not optimised for the recording.
What countries is National Theatre at Home available in?
National Theatre at Home is available to watch worldwide.
How do I get news about National Theatre at Home?
To get the latest news from National Theatre at Home straight to your inbox, sign up to our monthly email when you subscribe here.
For updates from the National Theatre about National Theatre at Home sign up here to receive our monthly newsletter.
Why is the National Theatre emailing me about NT at Home?
If you have signed up for monthly emails from the National Theatre or National Theatre Live, from time-to-time we may let you know about what is happening on National Theatre at Home.
Don’t worry, you’ll still receive updates about our plays on stage and cinema broadcasts as normal. All emails will contain a link to unsubscribe should you no longer wish to receive emails from us.
I have a National Theatre membership. Why do I need a new account for National Theatre at Home? Can you use my pre-existing National Theatre account?
National Theatre at Home is a brand-new streaming platform, hosted by Vimeo and is not connected to the National Theatre website. As a result, your National Theatre login will not work on National Theatre at Home.
You can now have an active National Theatre membership and a National Theatre at Home subscription.
You can combine your memberships, by signing up to a Digital+ Membership. For just £15 a month you'll receive access to National Theatre at Home, plus extra news, content, priority booking and special events. By signing up, you will be supporting the National Theatre and the hundreds of writers, actors, designers, technicians and theatre-makers involved in National Theatre at Home.
I have a National Theatre ticket credit voucher, can I redeem this on the National Theatre at Home platform?
No, unfortunately not. The National Theatre at Home platform is not connected to the National Theatre website, and so vouchers cannot be used for National Theatre at Home payments. Vouchers can only be used to buy standard& theatre tickets and memberships on the main National Theatre website.
Please go to the National Theatre Help Centre for more information on how you can use your vouchers.
Can schools use National Theatre at Home in the classroom?
No, National Theatre at Home is for individual personal use only. Using the platform in this way would be against our terms of service.
However, the good news is we already have a streaming service for schools and educational institutions called National Theatre Collection. It's programme is curated for learning, and it includes full play recordings and supporting educational resources that can be accessed worldwide. You can find out more here.
Why and when did the National Theatre begin the National Theatre at Home initiative?
In response to the Coronavirus pandemic which triggered a lock down of the United Kingdom and much of the world in March 2020, the National Theatre shared 16 of its play recordings on YouTube to entertain people in their homes.
The National Theatre then began the process of setting up the National Theatre at Home streaming service, launched on 1 December 2020.
How do I unsubscribe and cancel a subscription?
The steps to cancel your National Theatre at Home subscription will depend on how you signed up
- If you signed up within an Apple iOS or Apple TV app, follow the steps here: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202039
- If you signed up within a Google Play or Android app, follow the steps here: https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/7018481
- If you signed up within the Roku channel, follow the steps here: https://support.roku.com/article/208756478-how-do-i-manage-or-cancel-a-subscription
- If you signed up with Amazon, follow the steps here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GDT2SXJJ7K49JKYE
If you signed up on the National Theatre at Home website, you can cancel your subscription by logging into your account and following the steps below:
- Click on your circular profile icon in the top right corner of the screen and select ‘manage subscription’.
- Choose to cancel instead of one of the pause options if you do not want to be charged again.
- Finally, confirm the choice to cancel.
When you cancel, you will receive an email confirmation. When you cancel your subscription, video access will exist until the next charging cycle, but you will not be charged further.
Please note: If you signed up and paid on the website, you can only cancel via the website (and not via apps).
Who sponsors National Theatre at Home?
Bloomberg Philanthropies are the Headline Sponsor of National Theatre at Home.
Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in more than 570 cities and over 160 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on five key areas for creating lasting change: The Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation and Public Health. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg’s giving, including his foundation and personal philanthropy as well as Bloomberg Associates, a pro bono consultancy that works in cities around the world. In 2019, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $3.3 billion.
For more information, please visit bloomberg.org or follow on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and TikTok.
How do you use my data?
You can review the privacy policy for National Theatre at Home here: ntathome.com/privacy
Have a problem or a question?
Here’s how to get in contact:
If you need help with the National Theatre at Home website and are experiencing problems with sign-in, access to plays you’ve purchased, any other technical issues please visit the Vimeo Help Centre here, or contact support.
If you have a question about programming on the platform or questions about National Theatre at Home in general, please email [email protected]