Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company’s sold out production of The Winter’s Tale has topped the UK box office as it was broadcast to 520 cinemas across the country in partnership with Picturehouse Entertainment.
Broadcast live from the Garrick Theatre in the West End to cinemas across the globe, the critically acclaimed production took approximately £1.1 million at the box office in the UK alone, beating The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part two to claim the top spot.
Internationally, the show was broadcast to more than 1,300 cinemas – selling out in screenings in countries such as Portugal, Spain and Canada. The full international box office takings will be calculated soon.
Shakespeare’s tragicomedy of obsession and redemption was critically acclaimed when it opened at the Garrick Theatre on the 7th November and stars Judi Dench and Kenneth Branagh, who also co-directed the production with Rob Ashford.
The cinema broadcast was directed by Benjamin Caron, who has also collaborated with Kenneth Branagh on the forthcoming series of Wallander, due to be broadcast on the BBC in 2016.
The production will be screened at US cinemas on the 30th November. Encore performances of the production will be screened across the UK throughout the Christmas period.
Kenneth Branagh said: “To be able to celebrate our production of The Winter’s Tale with cinema audiences is a true privilege. I would like to thank our partners at Picturehouse and the talented Benjamin Caron for enabling us to bring The Winter’s Tale to screens around the world.”
The broadcast date for Romeo and Juliet, which plays at the Garrick Theatre from the 12th May to the 13th August, will be on the 7th July and tickets are now on sale.
For more information on the screenings and to book tickets visit: http://www.branaghtheatre.com/branagh-theatre-live.php .