Hay Fever Heads to Cinemas in January 2027

A new production of Noël Coward's comedy Hay Fever will reach cinema audiences internationally on January 14, 2027, through National Theatre Live. Directed by Emily Burns, the West End revival stars Christine Baranski as Judith Bliss and Richard E. Grant as David Bliss, bringing the production from London's Wyndham's Theatre to the big screen.

According to announcements published by WhatsOnStage and The Arts Shelf, the production will be recorded during its current theatrical run for distribution to cinemas. National Theatre Live's broadcasts reach more than 1,000 venues across the United Kingdom, with additional screenings internationally.

The story follows the eccentric Bliss family, whose plans for a country-house weekend unravel when each family member independently invites a guest without informing the others. Judith, a retired actress who misses performing, invites a young admirer, setting the stage for a gathering marked by romantic complications and family tensions.

Baranski's appearance marks her West End debut and her return to the stage after 20 years. The Emmy winner and two-time Tony Award recipient plays Judith opposite Grant, an Academy Award nominee who portrays David, an eccentric novelist whose marriage is troubled by infidelity.

The production's supporting cast includes Nancy Carroll as Myra Arundel, Will Close as Simon Bliss, Charles Edwards as Richard Greatham, Ophelia Lovibond as Sorel Bliss, Ash Hunter as Sandy Tyrell, Lucy Karczewski as Jackie Coryton and Jo McInnes as Clara. Helena Antoniou, Charlotte Avery and Shaun Mendum also appear in the production.

The creative team includes Frankie Bradshaw, responsible for set and costume design, and lighting designer Oliver Fenwick. Tingying Dong oversees sound design, while Bethan Clark serves as fight and intimacy director. Danièle Lydon is the dialect coach, Blythe Stewart is associate director, and Jim Carnahan and Liz Fraser handle casting.

Hay Fever is scheduled to continue at Wyndham's Theatre through December 12, 2026, according to WhatsOnStage. Its cinema release will allow audiences beyond London to see the production captured in front of a live theater audience.

National Theatre Live has also scheduled a cinema return for The Motive and the Cue on February 18, 2027. Written by Jack Thorne and directed by Sam Mendes, the production examines the rehearsal process behind the 1964 Broadway staging of Hamlet, focusing on the relationship between Richard Burton and John Gielgud.

The cast of The Motive and the Cue features Mark Gatiss as Gielgud, Johnny Flynn as Burton and Tuppence Middleton as Elizabeth Taylor. The production was filmed at the National Theatre's Lyttelton stage on London's South Bank in 2023 and previously attracted more than 240,000 viewers during its initial cinema release, according to Theatre News.