Eleanor Wyld

National Theatre Live: Leopoldstadt

At the beginning of the 20th century, Leopoldstadt was the old, crowded Jewish quarter of Vienna, Austria. But Hermann Merz, a factory owner and baptised Jew now married to Catholic Gretl, has moved up in the world. We follow his family’s story across half a century, passing through the convulsions of war, revolution, impoverishment, annexation by Nazi Germany and the Holocaust. A company of 40 actors represent each generation of the family in this epic, but intimate play.

Frequencies

The story of the forbidden relationship between a 'low born' boy and a 'high born' girl in an alternate reality where every person's relationships and life worth are determined by their innate 'frequencies'.

The Dybbuk: Semi-Staged Reading

On the day of her wedding, Leah is possessed by a dybbuk – the spirit of her former lover who died after learning of her engagement to another man. Set in the vanished, mystically religious world of 19th-century Eastern European Hasidism, S. Ansky’s The Dybbuk is a complex and meticulously crafted tragedy in which two lovers, betrothed before birth and denied earthly communion, are ultimately bound together for all eternity. This semi-staged reading took take place at the Almeida, as part of Six Artists in Search of a Play.

Bonobo

Judith, an uptight widow, is appalled when her daughter Lily quits law school to move into a commune of hippie misfits who live according to the behavioural principles of the bonobo monkey, a species famous for its 'make love not war' philosophy.

My Best Friend's Wedding

Growing up together, Lin Ran is not only Gu Jia's best friend but whom taken as a backup boyfriend unconsciously, until one day Lin Ran announces his engagement with the naive and rich Meng Yi-Xuan, and Gu Jia determines to win him back.

Johnny English Reborn

The most prominent heads of state in the world begin gathering for a conference that could have a major impact on global politics. When MI-7 receives word that the Chinese premier has become the target of some high-powered killers, it falls on Johnny English to save the day. Armed with the latest high-tech weaponry and gadgets that would make even James Bond jealous, the once-disgraced agent uncovers evidence of a massive conspiracy involving some of the world's most powerful organisations, and vows to redeem his tarnished reputation by stopping the killers before they can strike.

You Can Choose Your Friends

Comedy drama about a family reunion written by and starring Richard Herring. It's Ken and Margaret Snell's 45th wedding anniversary and their children and grandchildren along gather to celebrate. For Ken and Margaret's children, it's a day to revisit childhood arguments and to paper over present-day fractures in their relationships.

Two Dosas

Geeky Pavan takes his ‘English Rose’ on a date to the most authentic Indian restaurant in the city. To his horror she goes off-menu, in Hindi...

The Critic

Jimmy Erskine is the most feared theatre critic of the age. He lives as flamboyantly as he writes and takes pleasure in savagely taking down any actor who fails to meet his standards. When the owner of the Daily Chronicle dies, and his son takes over, Jimmy quickly finds himself at odds with his new boss and his position under threat. In an attempt to preserve the power and influence he holds so sacred, Jimmy strikes a Faustian pact with a struggling actress, entangling them and the boss in a thrilling but deadly web of desire, blackmail, and betrayal.

Freestyle

Leon is a tough, rebellious freestyle basketball player from the wrong side of the tracks. When Ondene, a stunning girl from an upper class background falls for him, their two contrasting worlds combine.

The Merchant of Venice

Director Abigail Graham’s contemporary take on The Merchant of Venice shows Shakespeare’s disturbing tale in a new light. Shylock (Adrian Schiller) and Jessica (Eleanor Wyld) reclaim their stories in Shakespeare's Globe's ‘heart-wrenching’ (The Guardian) 2021 production, played by candlelight and filmed live in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse.