Following government advice about Coronavirus, the National Theatre building is currently closed to the public until 30 June. Visit our FAQs for more information

The Seven Streams of the River Ota

An Ex Machina production

directed by Robert Lepage

From 6 to 22 March
Running Time: 7 hours inc 2 intervals and a 45-minute break

Lyttelton Theatre

Dates and select tickets

The Seven Streams of the River Ota

'Of all Lepage’s magic boxes, this is the masterpiece.’
Independent on Sunday

First staged at the National Theatre in 1996, Robert Lepage’s masterpiece returns to London for just nine performances. Presented as part of a world tour, this new staging marks 75 years since the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima.

Tracing survivors and their descendants across five decades, this giant theatrical journey through time and space explores the way in which a few kilograms of uranium falling on Japan changed the course of human history.

‘Lepage’s shows have dazzled a global audience. His profound theatrical experiences explore history and the tiny humans swept up within it.’
Guardian

Dialogue is presented in English, French, German and Japanese with English surtitles.

Please note: This production contains strobe lighting, loud sound effects and scenes of a sexual nature. If you require further information, contact details are provided in our Help Centre.

The performance will last 7 hours and includes two intervals plus a 45-minute break and two pauses. Approximate running times as follows:

3pm	Act 1	45 minutes
3.45pm	Act 2	1 hour
4.45pm	Interval	20 minutes
5.05pm	Act 3	50 minutes
5.55pm	Pause	10 minutes
6.05pm	Act 4	40 minutes
6.45pm	BREAK	45 minutes
7.30pm	Act 5	40 minutes
8.10pm	Pause	5 minutes
8.15pm	Act 6	30 minutes
8.45pm	Interval	20 minutes
9.05pm	Act 7	1 hour
10.05pm	Show ends

A co-production with Chekhov International Theatre Festival, Moscow, the National Theatre, London, and Le Diamant, Québec

Talks and Events
Robert Lepage in conversation Mon 9 March, 7pm - 8.45pm, £15 /£10 /£7.50

Restrict to tags:

Seven Streams | Production Gallery

The Seven Streams of the River Ota ticket prices and Access performances

Ticket prices

Full day ticket
*£125, £95, £75, £58, £30

The performance will last 7 hours and includes two intervals plus a 45-minute break and two pauses.

Access Performances

Audio-described performances, for blind and visually impaired people:
Sat 21 March, 3pm

Captioned performances

There is no captioned performance. However, the performance on Sunday 22 March 3pm will be a fully surtitled verison of the play. For this performance all the dialogue in French, German, Japanese and English will be shown on a screen incorporated into the set (with the French, German and Japanese dialogue translated into English). This differs from a captioned performance in that character names and sound effects will not be displayed, however all dialogue will be presented in the surtitles.

*Some of the best seats in the house are premium priced. They help to ensure we can continue to offer low price seats for all our productions; the National Theatre is a charity and only 17% government-funded. This year nearly 30% of our tickets are available for £20 or less.

Aged 16 - 25?

Unlock £10 or £5 tickets

16 - 25 tickets page banner youth event participants

Text

Éric Bernier	Gérard Bibeau	Normand Bissonnette	Rebecca Blankenship	Marie Brassard
Anne-Marie Cadieux	Normand Daneau	Richard Fréchette	Marie Gignac	Patrick Goyette
Robert Lepage	Macha Limonchik	Ghislaine Vincent