How we make theatre

Behind every production is an extensive development process that begins well before a show is programmed at the theatre.  

Some shows are built entirely through devising and experimenting with actors in the room, perhaps using an image or action as inspiration. This kind of production often begins life led by a director. For example, Sally Cookson adapted Jane Eyre with a company of actors by taking key moments, lines and emotions from Charlotte Bronte’s novel and experimenting with movement.

Lots of theatre productions start life as a script, often by a single writer. But even if the show starts life on paper, a key part of the development process in a scripted production is hearing and seeing the script performed by actors. Theatre craft is nearly always about being in the room, and the interaction between the audience and the action on stage – this is what makes it distinct from a novel, or a film.

For some scripted productions, there are also crucial physical elements to be worked out that will make or break the script. Think of the unnerving illusions that unlock the fantasy-horror genre for The Ocean at the End of the Lane, or the unforgettable puppet horse in War Horse. 

The National Theatre has a whole department dedicated to supporting artists to develop ideas and scripts for productions – our New Work Department. There are roughly 100 projects on our development slate at any one time, and we’ll work with around 800 artists and creatives for writing, devising and development work. Throughout the development process, artists get lots of feedback on their ideas, script and how well it is working in the room from a staff dramaturg, who is like an editor for theatre. 

All of the productions we commission are intended to be staged in one of our three theatres on the South Bank. Not everything ends up being programmed, so as a by-product of this development process many ideas we invest in will go on to be programmed and performed at other theatres across the UK rather than the National Theatre. On top of this, our Generate project ringfences a third of our expert workshop and support resources to productions from other theatres and companies across the UK. 

Designers create the visual world of a production – making decisions about sets, costume, lighting, sound, video, and other elements like puppetry.

At the National Theatre, we usually bring on board a freelance artist for each area of the design. This team works together with the director and actors in the rehearsal room to make creative decisions. The designers will also work extensively with our huge staff team of makers and technicians to bring those ideas to life.

Nearly everything you see on stage is made at our South Bank home. In fact, we’ve been called the biggest factory in central London – although everything we make is unique, from the towering woven backdrop used in The Father and the Assassin, to the delicately appliquéd gowns worn in Antony & Cleopatra.

Climate crisis means that sustainability is now an important consideration in everything we make. As we work towards carbon neutrality, our production teams are exploring the future of our craft and how theatre of this scale can have a minimal impact.

Designers create the visual world of a production – making decisions about sets, costume, lighting, sound, video, and other elements like puppetry.

Approximately six weeks before opening night, the cast and production team all come together in the rehearsal room for the first time.

In the first week there will be a meet and greet with everyone who will be working on the show from administration, including Learning, Press, Marketing, Development, Finance and more. Even the largest rehearsal room can get a bit crowded.

The final phase of rehearsals for any production takes place on stage.

This period starts with the technical rehearsal, where all of the different aspects of the show come together for the first time, including costume, set and technical effects. This is also an important time for actors and the creative team to assess how the work they have made feels in the performance space, and to work through precise movements and choreography.

In the technical rehearsal, the whole team for every part of the show works through the production slowly. Every department must be available to respond to changes.

In the final 48 hours before the production opens, at least one dress rehearsal takes place. At the National Theatre, our productions play to an audience through a preview period for around a week before opening to the media. In this period, the show can still change substantially – rehearsals take place in the day, before showing the production to an audience each evening.

Once Press Night has happened, the Stage Managers and Technical Teams are resonsible for ensuring that the best performance is given every time.

Stage Managers’ Show reports note every malfunction of lighting cues, sound, props in the wrong place, doors not opening or closing easily, spilt liquids that needed ingenuity from the cast to clean up as the show carried on. Before the night is over, tasks are assigned to individuals for the following day to fix broken props and scenery and put in place measures to prevent future mishaps.

Following Press Night, the Understudy Dress Rehearsals start. Filming (for National Theatre Live or National Theatre at Home) is planned.

Some of the world of theatre is really high-tech now, but then a lot of it’s absolutely human-based, human skill, and the crew are fantastically important to all of that.

Bunny Christie, theatre designer

We work to share our productions as widely as possible around the world by filming them in front of an audience. We believe everyone should be able to see live theatre, but that doesn’t mean we can’t share amazing performances and ideas on screen too.

Our NT Live broadcasts into cinemas, replicating the communal experience. We optimise everything for the big screen so it’s the next best thing to being there. The actors on stage deliver their performances as they normally would any other night. But to make sure our audiences watching in cinema have the best seat in the house, we tailor the position of our cameras to capture each production and work closely with technical teams to make sure every element on stage such as lighting, hair and make-up look fantastic on the big screen.

We also capture many of our other productions with a smaller set up so that we can make them available to stream. National Theatre at Home is available from anywhere in the world, with the benefit that we can also include accessibility tools like captions and audio-description. Schools and education organisations around the world can also stream productions with additional learning resources with National Theatre Collection.