Telecast staged performances have certainly seen a rise over the last few years. The Metropolitan Opera has digitally broadcasted performances across the globe for several seasons now, and other organizations have duly followed suit.
And while many of these screened productions have seen success, none touch the latest New London Theatre premiere of War Horse.
Yes, War Horse has taken the spot as the most popular production beamed to cinemas--part of the National Theatre Live initiative. The showing reached over 125,000 people in the U.K. alone who tuned into the February 27 performance.
This beat the previous NT record, held by The Audience starring Helen Mirren, which drew over 80,000 British viewers.
In global terms, War Horse was watched by more than 155,000 people--from their homes to movie theaters--also beating The Audience's world-wide total of 110,000.
If you were denying the rise of the stage's popularity in recent years, surely this statistic proves you fallible.
National Theatre Live began broadcasting in 2009, since drawing nearly 2,000,000 viewers across the planet.
If you missed the telecast, I'm sure you'll be able to locate it via various torrent sites. And if you're in London, do stop by the New London Theatre in the West End.
Live audiences across the pond needn't worry too much, though; War Horse will be hitting North America soon.
