Theatre magic on screen ,this is an engrossing delightful celebration of the National’s 50 years. There are exciting historical clips from the archives, some only recently discovered ,but mostly it is a dash through some of the main plays the National has brought to the stage with short scenes from assorted highlights performed live .

Many major theatre names are involved ( where to start?!) Olivier, Joan Plowright, Michael Gambon, Dame Maggie Smith , Dame Judi Dench , Sir Derek Jacobi, Paul Schofield , Ralph Fiennes , Rory Kinnear ,Adrian Lester,Helen Mirren , Benedict Cumberbatch …. there could be numerous pages .Doctor Who fans will also have fun spotting familiar faces and not just Christopher Eccleston !.
The history of the National Theatre’s early days , based at the Old Vic, and the major hassles of actually building the theatre (and the negative reaction to it ) are briefly chronicled . All five directors are mentioned ( Lord Olivier , Sir Peter Hall , Sir Richard Eyre , Sir Trevor Nunn, Sir Nicholas Hytner )and if possible interviewed briefly and we see fascinating backstage scenes of rehearsals etc.Rufus Norris will take over as artistic director as of April 2015 .

There are so many highlights it is impossible to mention them all in the over 80 plays covered . However ,for me, one has to mention – the powerful ,hypnotic performance of Joan Plowright as Shaw’s St Joan . Simon Russell Beales’ mesmerising ‘what a piece of work is man’ speech from ‘Hamlet’ , and the footage of Paul Schofield as Salieri in ‘Amadeus’ .

Another would have to be Judi Dench as Cleopatra from Shakespeare’s play .( Shakespeare is a major component and theme of the programming – we see segments from ‘King Lear ‘ and ‘Othello ‘for example and also ‘Richard 11’ – the luminous , extraordinary Fiona Shaw version – and the Olivier and McKellan ‘ Richard 111’ .Plus the Olivier ‘Henry V’ …)
Chekhov gets a nod with footage of Olivier as Vanya.

Contemporary life is represented by Ralph Fiennes in a terrifying ,intense yet also funny scene from David Hare and Howard Brenton’s ‘ Pravda’ .There is also the scene from ‘Stuff Happens’ , ( Bush and Blair) , ‘Copenhagen’ and ‘ Elmina’s Kitchen ‘ .Tom Stoppard is represented delightfully with scenes from his ‘Arcadia ‘ and ‘ Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead ‘ ( with Benedict Cumberbatch as Rosencrantz ).We also see a scene from ‘No Man’s Land’ with two of the greats , Michael Gambon and Sir Derek Jacobi .

Modern/contemporary American works are also featured , with a passionate ,very moving scene from the brilliant ‘Angels in America’ and Helen Mirren in a shattering, intense scene from ‘Mourning Becomes Electra’.

The comedies are also included – scenes from ‘Hay Fever ‘ ( Dame Maggie Smith stunning in a slinky black dress) , ‘One Man Two Guvnors‘, Bedroom Farce and the ‘ The Beaux’ Stratagem’. Mention must also be made of the hysterically funny French class scene from ‘The History Boys ‘with the author Allan Bennet himself in the cast .

Huge cast spectaculars included scenes from the magnificent blockbuster ’Warhorse’ and The Mystery Plays .

Musicals are also included – Sondheim here is represented ( we also see a very brief clip or two of Sondheim himself ) by Dame Judi Dench singing a heartbreaking ‘Send in the Clowns’ from ‘A Little Night Music’ . This is complemented by the huge full cast joyous infectious ‘Sit down, sit down you’re rocking the boat’ from ‘ Guys and Dolls’ , an exuberant ‘The Rain in Spain Stays Mainly on the Plain’ from ‘ My Fair Lady ‘ and a scene from the shocking ,very controversial ‘Jerry Springer the Opera’ .

The performance itself opens , as did the National’s first ever performance , with the opening lines of ‘Hamlet’ .It closes with a scene from ‘The Habit of Art’ , with lines about the art of acting .Then umpteen curtain calls and the entire staff of the National Theatre ( stagehands , wigmakers ,admin etc ) are brought on , showered in golden tinsel .

A major once in a lifetime event, a fascinating chronicle of some of the National’s history. The film, running 2 hours and 50 minutes, is screening at selected arthouse cinemas including Palace, Dendy and Orpheum cinemas.