Where to watch Shakespeare online
We are so lucky to have access to a number of good quality theatre productions that have been captured live and shared online.
Here are some of the places that you might find a professional version.
Marquee TV. This platform has a yearly subscription model that includes most of the productions from the Royal Shakespeare Company, which are my go-to when it comes to current Shakespeare. Occasionally they have sales that make a yearly subscription more affordable than a year of Netflix! The only downside of Marquee TV is that they don’t currently offer single-purchase options if you only want to watch one production. To my mind, if you are an actor or working towards becoming one, the subscription is 100% worth it.
Digital Theatre. Has a monthly subscription model which is more expensive than Marquee TV, but has options for single purchase. From what I’ve seen, Digital Theatre has more contemporary/new writing and musical theatre productions than Marquee TV, so if you’re looking at specialising in contemporary theatre or musical theatre, this might be the platform for you.
Globe Player. Online productions from the Globe Theatre - available as a subscription or watch single shows one-off fee. Some of these productions are also available on Marquee TV.
National Theatre at Home. This is a fairly new platform and doesn’t have many shows to offer yet, but what they have is good quality and available for single purchase. I also recommend keeping an eye out for NT Live productions (streamed to cinemas) in your local area.
(…FYI these are not affiliate links, they are just awesome resources.)
Film Versions
If you can’t find a recorded theatre production, or you just want to watch a variety of interpretations of the play, films are your next best bet.
Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, etc. Don’t forget to search the platforms you already subscribe to! If you don’t have to pay extra money to watch a production, that’s a bonus.
iTunes. If you can’t find it on a platform you’re already paying for, check iTunes. Quite a few Shakespeare films (especially ones from the 90s) were quite successful, so iTunes does actually have them available!
Libraries. Seriously people, don’t underestimate looking in your local library for a DVD version of the play. You might be surprised.
