The Holroyd Community Theatre, at Moreton Hall, has begun their cinema offering with the support of Oswestry’s much-loved community cinema, KinoKulture.

Following KinoKulture’s closure in April, The Holroyd Community Theatre, with the support of cinema veterans, Ruth Carter and Ian Garland, have begun offering screenings of National Theatre productions, which launched this month, with a production a NYE, the story of Nye Bevan, the man responsible for setting up the NHS.

With an audience capacity of two hundred, The Holroyd Community Theatre offers an opportunity for local people to watch productions from London’s National Theatre on their doorstep, with a unique cinematic approach.

Following the first screening, audience member, Sam Wyse said:

“The production of NYE at The Holroyd was superb, the whole experience was well-thought-out and so inviting, with the option to watch the production from the comfort of sofas, bucket chairs or the theatre’s comfortable seats.

“I have loved going to KinoKulture over the years and was devastated when I heard that it was closing. It is really brilliant that we now have a new venue for the National Theatre screenings at The Holroyd, especially within such a lovely setting with free parking.”

The National Theatre recordings and live streams make live theatre accessible to a much wider audience, providing more opportunities for people to access enriching experiences. The recordings are delivered much like the audience would see on stage but with cameras positioned closer in order to capture the intrinsic details.

Michael Jenkins, the Creative Director of The Holroyd Community Theatre said:

“The National’s productions are always superb, however, with increased travel and ticket prices, visiting London is not always affordable for many. With the screenings, we are able to offer our community a theatrical experience for a fraction of the price.

“Hosting the screenings in a theatre gives us the opportunity to emulate the environment and atmosphere of attending the National, which I believe will break down some of the barriers that stop people from experiencing high quality performances.”

Ian Garland and Ruth Carter from KinoKulture, Oswestry said: “We are so excited and pleased that National Theatre Live broadcasts have returned to Oswestry. We always knew that The Holroyd Community Theatre would be the perfect venue for these live cinema events after KinoKulture cinema closed and we hope that our amazingly loyal audiences for these events will be as excited as we are that they can still access world class and award-winning theatre in a beautiful venue so close to home.”

The next screening will take place on Friday 4 October with Jodie Comer’s one-woman production of Prima Facie.

Tickets are available now at www.theholroyd.com or by calling 01691 776069.