Live Broadcast of Kenneth Branagh's WINTER'S TALE Tops U.K. Box Offices

As BWW previously reported, Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company, in partnership with Picturehouse Entertainment, broadcast the production of THE WINTER'S TALE in 520 movie theaters across the U.K. yesterday, November 26th.

According to Variety, the screenings grossed £1.1 million, or $1.66 million, beating out the most recent installment of THE HUNGER GAMES for the number one spot at the box office.

The production, which aired live from London's Garrick Theatre, was also broadcast in over 100 movie theaters outside the U.K., including Portugal, Spain, Canada, Austria, Malta and Germany. It will be screened in U.S. movie theaters on November 30. Australia and Northern Europe theaters will screen the production in January.

The Winter's Tale, Shakespeare's timeless tragicomedy of obsession and redemption, is to be reimagined in a new production co-directed by Rob Ashford and Kenneth Branagh following their triumphant staging of Macbeth in Manchester and Manhattan. Judi Dench will play Paulina opposite Kenneth Branagh as Leontes.

The cinema broadcast of The Winter's Tale is directed by Benjamin Caron, who has also recently collaborated with Kenneth Branagh on the forthcoming series of Wallander which is due to be broadcast on the BBC in 2016.

The full cast for The Winter's Tale includes: Pierre Atri (Mamillius), Jaygann Ayeh (Archidamus & The Old Shepherd's Servant), Tom Bateman (Florizel), Jessie Buckley (Perdita), Vera Chok (Dorcas & First Lady), Jack Colgrave Hirst (Clown), John Dagleish (Autolycus), Hadley Fraser (Polixenes), Adam Garcia(Amadis), Rudi Goodman (Mamillius), Matthew Hawksley (Aegeum), Taylor James (Capnio), Pip Jordan (Shepherdess), Ansu Kabia (Cleomenes), Stuart Neal (Dion), Michael Pennington (Antigonus), Zoë Rainey(Emilia), Miranda Raison(Hermione), Michael Rouse (Gaoler & Mariner), John Shrapnel (Camillo), Kathryn Wilder (Mopsa) and Jimmy Yuill(The Shepherd).

The Winter's Tale, Harlequinade / All On Her Own, The Painkiller, Romeo and Juliet and The Entertainermake up the inaugural season of work for the Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company. For more information and to buy theatre tickets for these productions please see www.branaghtheatre.com