Just because life is a little tricky at the moment, it doesn't mean we have to forsake cultural delights. Here's a handful of recommendations to perk you up, available to watch from the comfort of your own armchair - wherever you live in the world. And, let's face it, we should all be doing our bit to support the arts.
Stage2View: An American in Paris is Christopher Wheeldon’s magnificent production of Gershwins’ classic that triumphed on Broadway and in the West End. It’s available on streaming platform, Stage2View.com, which also offers the musicals Kinky Boots and 42nd Street, amongst others. Prices from around £5.
Apollo 13 - The Dark Side of the Moon: Marking 50 years since the launch of the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission, and based, in part, on actual transcripts, this brand-new online play is a captivating re-telling of one of the greatest space stories of all time. From the creative team behind the critically acclaimed lockdown production of Sebastian Faulks's Birdsong Online and Watching Rosie, Torben Betts’ The Dark Side of The Moon explores the outer limits of faith, hope and the power of the human spirit. Available until 31 December, from Original Theatre, priced at £17.50
The Royal Ballet: Live – Within the Golden Hour: Live on 13 November and available on demand for a month. Priced at £8, it's another from Christopher Wheeldon. This one-act ballet Within the Golden Hour is staged in full at Covent Garden alongside a selection of delightful excerpts, including Natalia Osipova performing the Dying Swan solo by Mikhail Fokine and pas de deux from Akane Takada and Alexander Campbell. There’s also the chance to see Scherzo, the choreographic debut of first soloist Valentino Zucchetti.
Emilia: Morgan Lloyd Malcom’s funny Olivier award-winner about Emilia Bassano, the “dark lady” of Shakespeare’s sonnets, went from the London's Globe Theatre to the West End. An archive recording of the production, tweaked to improve sound and picture quality, is available on a pay-what-you-can basis until 24 November.
If you would like to share these OGN recommendations with friends or family - please do!