MANILA, Philippines—Following the successful launch of CCP National Theatre Live’s first season, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and Ayala Malls Cinemas are excited to announce a re-run of the Olivier Award-winning stage adaptation of Yann Martel’s “Life of Pi” on December 19, accompanied by a back-to-back screening of William Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing,” another featured production in the program.
Presented in partnership with National Theatre Live and Ayala Malls Cinemas, CCP brings the best of British theater to audiences from September 26, 2023, to May 28, 2024, offering an exceptional “live” performance experience filmed on the UK’s most exciting stages.
The inaugural season began with “Life of Pi” at Greenbelt 3 cinema, attended by Ayala Mall Cinemas head Remedios “Emee” Aganon and British Embassy political counselor Kim Clark. Puppet Theater Manila provided a delightful pre-program show with their puppets, Clara the Carabao and Puraw the Aspin Dog.
Image Courtesy of National Theatre Live.
Audiences were captivated by the beautiful storytelling of 16-year-old boy Pi’s journey of endurance and hope while stranded on a lifeboat with four other survivors, including a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, and a Royal Bengal tiger. The state-of-the-art visuals and puppetry added to the magic of the story, adapted by Lolita Chakrabarti and directed by Max Webster. CCP Vice President and Artistic Director Dennis Marasigan encouraged guests and audiences to support all nine featured filmed theaters in their Philippine premieres, emphasizing the importance of cultural exchange and widening perspectives.
Image Courtesy of National Theatre Live.
The second installment on October 31 will feature “Fleabag,” written and performed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge and directed by Vicky Jones. This hilarious, award-winning play inspired the hit TV series and was captured live on stage from London’s West End in 2019. Due to overwhelming demand, additional screenings have been added to accommodate more fans.
Images Courtesy of National Theatre Live.
Image Courtesy of National Theatre Live.
Images Courtesy of National Theatre Live.
Starting with the third installment, Anton Chekhov’s “The Seagull,” there will be two screenings for each featured production at 6 pm and 8 pm, considering the rush hour traffic for those coming from work. Other world-class stage productions in the lineup include “The Crucible,” “Frankenstein,” “Othello,” “King Lear,” and “Hamlet,” all filmed live in high definition.
Tickets are priced at Php 250.00, with a special student rate of Php 150.00, available on sureseats.com. Stay updated with CCP National Theatre Live by following their official social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.