SOLD OUT I AND YOU FREE TO VIEW ON INSTAGRAM’S IGTV

Hampstead Theatre in association with Instagram will show Lauren Gunderson’s acclaimed play I and You, starring Maisie Williams and Zach Wyatt, for free, exclusively on IGTV. Specially performed, filmed and edited for a unique mobile viewing experience, viewers will be able to watch this sold out play on demand for 72 hours from Friday 30 November 6pm GMT until Monday 3 December 6pm GMT.

Anyone with an Instagram account will be able to watch the full production by following either @hampstead_theatre @maisie_williams @zachwwyatt or @lalatellsastory (Lauren Gunderson). The play will be available to view on their IGTV channels.

I and You, currently playing on the Main Stage, closes on Saturday 24 November and will be Hampstead Theatre’s seventh production that has been presented for free online as part of its Access for All programme, allowing as many people as possible to have access to quality theatre.

Playwright Lauren Gunderson comments:

‘I'm truly overjoyed that this definitive production of my play I and You will be shown for free on Instagram. The more theatre we can offer people the better, and this is such a fresh and easy way to give millions of people a unique theatre experience. I and You isn’t just a teenage story, it’s a human story and I’m thrilled that people all across the world will have access to theatre in such an innovative way, completely free of charge. I myself will be watching from home in San Francisco with my kids and cat, and cannot wait to share Maisie Williams and Zach Wyatt’s incredible performances up close with the world. I hope people enjoy this opportunity to see two brilliant young actors knocking these roles out of the park in a play that means so much to me.’

Sunil Singhvi from Instagram comments:
‘Since IGTV launched in June it’s been incredible to watch how creators, publishers and brands have used the new platform to tell stories and engage with audiences and fans. We were delighted to work with Hampstead Theatre, Maisie, Zach and Lauren on this project, using IGTV to cast a new lens onto the traditional theatre world and reach an entirely different set of people. We hope this type of creativity continues on Instagram and we can’t wait to see the final films.’

Hampstead Theatre’s Artistic Director Edward Hall says:

‘I am immensely proud that Hampstead Theatre can continue to champion free access to high quality theatre as part of our Access for All programme. Numerous barriers prevent access to live theatre: cost, location and I’m very aware that some find theatre venues an intimidating and exclusive environment. From the start, we wanted our production of Lauren Gunderson’s beautiful play I and You to reach as wide an audience as possible – indeed, it has attracted the highest number of Under 30s in our history. Thank you to Lauren, Maisie Williams, Zach Wyatt and the entire creative team for allowing us to show their work in this way; to keep reaching new audiences. We want people all over the world to enjoy this production for free, at a time and place that suits them most, and maybe we can help inspire future generations that might one day visit their local theatre in person.’

Maisie Williams and Zach Wyatt comment:

‘We have been overwhelmed with the response from audiences throughout the run of I and You and we wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their support. The whole experience has been joyous and we don’t want it to end. To be able to give this production a further life online with Instagram is simply awesome. We’re very proud to support and participate in Hampstead Theatre’s Access for All programme so people have the opportunity to see theatre up close for free. We hope you enjoy the show wherever you are watching - see you on the 30 November, Instagram!’

I and You is a witty and uplifting portrayal of friendship, youth and living life to the full, and won the coveted American Theatre Critics Association’s New Play Award. 

Housebound because of illness, Caroline hasn’t been to school in months. Confined to her room, she has only Facebook for company. That is until classmate Anthony bursts in – uninvited and armed with waffle fries, a scruffy copy of Walt Whitman’s poetry and a school project due in the next day… Caroline is unimpressed all round.

But an unlikely friendship develops and a seemingly mundane piece of homework starts to reveal the pair’s hopes and dreams - as well as a deep and mysterious bond that connects them even further.

IGTV is mobile video as it should be. Totally immersive, full-screen, designed for how people naturally hold a phone. More than a new format — IGTV is an entirely new ecosystem, where creators become the channels. IGTV videos are unlike videos on Instagram. They're not limited to one minute as they are on Feed. Instead, anyone can create and share videos up to ten minutes long. And our top creators can share videos up to an hour. I and You will be shown across two videos, Part 1 and Part 2. 

I and You runs on the Main Stage until 24 November.

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