Emilia Clarke, Emma Thompson Star in ‘Private Lives’ Online Reading

Emilia Clarke, Emma Thompson Star in ‘Private Lives’ Online Reading

Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones, The Seagull) and Emma Thompson (Sense and Sensibility, Howard’s End)  will be starring in a virtual reading of Noël Coward’s Private Lives on September 13. 

This production is part of Lockdown Theatre, in association with The Royal Theatrical Fund, and ticket sales will be used as a crisis grant to support those struggling in the theatre industry due to the pandemic.

Directed by Jonathan Church, the production will feature Thompson as Amanda, Clarke as Sybil, Robert Lindsay as Elyot, and Sanjeev Bhaskar as Victor. The Zoom reading will be followed by a live Q&A session with the cast and director, to be moderated by Paul Jackson.

Thompson will also be part of the all-star cast gathered to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Coward’s West End debut in a special celebration called A Marvellous Party. Joining her are Kate Burton, Judi Dench, Stephen Fry, Montego Glover, Derek Jacobi, Josh James, Cush Jumbo, Robert Lindsay, Kristine Nielsen, Bebe Neuwirth, Julian Ovenden, Patricia Routledge, Kate Royal, Giles Terera, Indira Varma and Lia Williams.

Coward’s first play to debut on the West End in 1920 was I’ll Leave It To You, in which the playwright also appeared. 

A Marvellous Party will launch the new streaming service by Broadway on Demand called “Stream.Theatre” and will stream on September 20. The actors have either recorded their performances at home or have been filmed on location at the Theatre Royal Haymarket and Chichester Festival Theatre while respecting all health and safety protocols. All performers have offered their time and talent for free.

Private Lives will stream on September 13 at 7PM GMT (September 14 at 3AM Philippine time). Tickets are £35 each and are available HERE.

A Marvellous Party will stream on September 20 at 7:30PM GMT (September 21 at 3:30AM Manila time) and will be available on demand for 14 days. It will also be available on YouTube.

The show can be streamed for free but any donations will go to the charities Acting for Others (UK) and the Actors Fund (US).