National Theatre Live date

National Theatre Live will put *The Playboy of the Western World* into cinemas on May 28, 2026, extending the National Theatre production beyond its London run. (nationaltheatre.org.uk) The filmed release stars Nicola Coughlan, Éanna Hardwicke and Siobhán McSweeney in John Millington Synge’s play, with Caitríona McLaughlin directing. The National Theatre Live site lists the cinema date simply as “In cinemas 28 May.” (ntlive.com) The stage production played the Lyttelton Theatre from December 4, 2025, to February 28, 2026, before the cinema rollout was scheduled. The National Theatre says the screen version was “originally performed live” at the venue. (nationaltheatre.org.uk) National Theatre Live is the Royal National Theatre’s filmed-theatre program, built to send stage productions to cinemas and other venues outside London. Its official site bills it as “the best of British theatre” shown on cinema screens near audiences. (ntlive.com) That model has turned limited theatre runs into longer commercial lives, especially for productions led by actors with television audiences. Coughlan is widely known for *Bridgerton*, Hardwicke for *The Sixth Commandment*, and McSweeney for *Derry Girls*, all three names highlighted in the show’s ticketing and announcement material. (ntlive.com) Synge’s play centers on Christy Mahon, a young man who arrives in a pub claiming he killed his father, and on Pegeen Mike, whose life is upended by his arrival. Playbill’s production listing and the National Theatre’s synopsis both frame the story around mythmaking, status and self-invention in a rural community. (playbill.com) (nationaltheatre.org.uk) The wider cast announced for the stage run included Declan Conlon, Lorcan Cranitch, Megan Cusack and Marty Rea alongside the three leads. That full company was published by the National Theatre in October 2025 ahead of the London opening. (images.nationaltheatre.org.uk) For audiences who missed the winter engagement on the South Bank, the next date that matters is May 28, when the production moves from the Lyttelton to cinema listings. (nationaltheatre.org.uk)