National Theatre Live: The Motive and The Cue

Sam Mendes (“The Lehman Trilogy”) directs Mark Gatiss as John Gielgud and Johnny Flynn as Richard Burton in this fierce and funny new play.

The production premiered in April of 2023 at the National Theatre in London and revolves around the history behind the 1964 Broadway modern-dress production of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” starring Burton in the title role, directed by Sir Gielgud. But as rehearsals progress, two ages of theater collide, and the collaboration between actor and director soon threatens to unravel.

Written by Jack Thorne (“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”) and designed by Es Devlin (“The Crucible”), the Evening Standard award-winning best new play was filmed live during a sold-out run at the National Theatre. The Telegraph hailed the play as “a witty, deft, touching evocation of a fascinating, fraught encounter that captures the mood of those times.”