THEATRE

If you haven’t signed up to Disney+yet, now would be the time as Hamilton The Musicalwill be available exclusively on the streaming service from 3 July – so that’s Saturday night sorted. If you don’t know already (erm, where have you been?) the smash-hit Broadway musical follows the journey of Alexander Hamilton, one of the founding fathers of the United States and is told entirely through hip hop and rap. It’s breathtakingly brilliant (you’ll love it even if you’re anti-musicals), so definitely worth a watch. You’d normally pay £100+ per ticket to see it at the theatre…

Most theatres are unlikely to open their doors any time soon, but luckily there’s a fantastic online offering from the National Theatre that’s spoiling us with two productions, starting with A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Captured live from the Bridge Theatre in 2019, this version stars Game of Thrones‘ Gwendoline Christie as Titania, as well as Oliver Chris (One Man, Two Guvnors), David Moorst (Allelujah!) and Hammed Animashaun (Barber Shop Chronicles) as Oberon, Puck and Bottom (until 2 Jul). 

This will be followed by a 2016 archive recording of Lorraine Hansberry’s Les Blancs, a powerful exploration of identity in post-colonial Africa. The cast includes Danny Sapani (Black Panther, Killing Eve), Siân Phillips (People, Clash of the Titans) and Tunji Kasim (Network, Antony & Cleopatra).

Elsewhere, on the National Ballet’s YouTube channelyou can watch romantic ballet La Sylphidewhich will be available to stream for 48 hours from 1 Jul. Love, sorrow, tragedy and a few ethereal forest spirits thrown in for good measure – all the ingredients needed for a captivating production. 

And finally, if you’re feeling a little dramatic (aren’t we all at the moment) find your release at a Zoom theatre workshop with Front & Centre. This week’s line up includes dance workshops from Alex Hetherington (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie) on 29 Jun, and Benjamin Cook (Broadway’s Mean Girls) on 3 Jul, plus an acting class and Q&A from Charlie Stemp (Mamma Mia The Musical) on 1 Jul. 

FILM

For the little people, Frozen II will also be available to watch from 3 Jul packing new songs (Let It Gois permanently embedded in my brain) and adventure as Elsa venues into the enchanted forest following a mystical voice that calls for her. 

Edinburgh International Film, which was postponed in early June, is streaming this week on Curzon Home Cinema. The festival emphasises new talent, discover and innovation within the film industry and you can watch the 13 new filmsuntil 5 Jul. We’re looking forward to historical drama Fanny Lye Deliver’d, starring Maxine Peake, Charles Dance and Freddie Fox. Directed by British indie director Thomas Clay the film, set in rural Shropshire 1657, follows Puritan wife Fanny who transcends her oppressive marriage. 

MUSIC

If you’re not too exhausted from Glastonbury garden parties, then reapply your glitter and stock the fridge with tinnies for Wirelessfestival (3 – 5 Jul). Usually held in Finsbury Park, the weekender is going virtual with three days of music and unseen performances available to watch in 360° virtual reality (erm, pretty cool right?). The line up includes hip hop and rap artists Tyga, Skepta, Not3s and Bugzy Malone (ask a passing teenager). 

TV

Bring out the strawberries and cream and Champagne – Wimbledon may be cancelled this year but you can still get your tennis fix on BBC2. All week the channel will be celebrating the event with replays of iconic finals, documentaries, interviews with players, plus the whole weekend will be dedicated to Andy Murray. Game, set, match!

Meanwhile, if you haven’t watched I May Destroy Youon BBC iPlayer, get to it, stat. The brilliant Michaela Coel (who also created the show) stars as Arabella, a super-cool millennial novelist who struggles to remember her sexual assault after being spiked on a night out with friends. It’s touching, humourous and deftly written. I binge-watched the first six episodes this weekend in a single sitting (hey, they’re only half an hour each!). Two new episodes are released every Monday.

Love Don’t Tell the Bride? A brand new wedding reality show is dropping on Netflixon 1 Jul called Say I Do: Surprise Weddings, which sees a team of experts plan a wedding in week from the proposal to the food, decor and dress. It’s from the creators of Queer Eyeso is bound to be a dead cert. 

Also coming to the streaming giant this week is Baby-Sitters Club, a modern remake of Ann M. Martin’s books that follow a group of girlfriends and their homegrown babysitting business (3 Jul).