New Experience: A play on the big screen

Last Saturday my evening plans fell through, but I still wanted to do something instead of just staying in. So I checked out my local cinema’s site to see what was on. The Broadway is a great local cinema, although it only has 4 screens, they still put on quite a variety and from Monday to Friday it’s only £5.

Like quite a few cinemas in the country the Broadway show a few plays, some are broadcast live and when it’s a big play they show it in all 4 screens. My parents went to see Swan Lake and the whole place was packed.

I saw advertised a while ago that they were going to show the Broadway (New York Broadway) production of the John Steinbeck book Of Mice and Men. It starred James Franco and Chris O’Dowd and was originally put on last year, so this was a recording.

I wanted to see the play as I studied the book at school and really liked it, so when my plans fell through this was the perfect plan B.

Seeing a play in the cinema is actually pretty good, for one thing you've got the best view in the house as you can see their emotions up close. There was also the added extra of in the interval they showed interviews of the cast and the director, which gave you extra context to the play.

The play was well acted and seeing something on my own is something I've done plenty of times before. However it was the first time I saw a play at the cinema. I had a nice chat with the old man who sat next to me during the interview. I didn't get his name but he was on his own too as his wife didn't want to see the play. He liked his plays and had seen a lot of Shakespeare, and he was going to New York for the first time in April, so I gave him some suggestions of where to visit while he was there.

Seeing a play in the cinema was not only considerably cheaper than the theatre itself (my ticket was £10) but you got more than you would see if you went to see it live. I’ll definitely see more plays at the cinema in the future.