In an era of great change and great beauty emerged the character of James McNeill Whistler. Considered by some to be one of the great innovators of 19th century art, he was a contemporary of the Impressionists, much admired by Van Gogh and Manet. Boldly experimental and famously witty, Whistler disrupted the strict conventions of Victorian society in pursuit of a new cult of beauty, creating “art for art’s sake” and earning himself a place in the history of great art. He found a parallel between painting and music, and entitled many of his paintings “arrangements”, “harmonies” and “nocturnes”, emphasizing the importance of tonal harmony in his work.

His most famous painting, Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1 (1871), commonly known as Whistler’s Mother, is a revered and often parodied portrait of motherhood. It is arguably one of the most famous paintings in history and this film will unveil the artist behind the art.

Tate Britain is now holding the first major retrospective of Whistler in three decades. This blockbuster exhibition promises to reawaken the world to just how important Whistler is to art history, uniting world-famous masterpieces with rarely seen works. Exhibition on Screen will bring these stunning works and the incredible story behind them to cinemas around the world while the exhibition is still running, bringing this truly global artist to a global audience. This will be an unmissable chance to get to know this visually spectacular artist and the influence he has had on those who followed.

Boldly experimental and famously witty, Whistler disrupted the strict conventions of Victorian society in pursuit of a new cult of beauty, creating “art for art’s sake” and earning himself a place in the history of great art. This blockbuster exhibition from Tate Britain brings together famous and lesser known works by this important artist.

Oliver Lansley’s Immaculate, our late Autumn production, is a laugh-a-minute collision of dark, sparkly and risqué wit.

It tells the story of Mia, a vulnerable young woman who has not had sex for eleven months yet discovers she is inexplicably pregnant.

Visited by the Angel Gabriel, Mia is led to believe she is carrying a divine child. Or is there a more sinister force at play, with the Devil’s hand behind her pregnancy?

Crackling with audacious jokes, uncomfortable truths and gleeful provocation, Immaculate dares its audience to laugh even as the ground shifts beneath them.

An amateur production by arrangement with Nick Hern Books.Immaculate is a laugh-a-minute collision of dark, sparkly and risqué wit. It tells the story of Mia, a vulnerable young woman who has not had sex for eleven months yet discovers she is inexplicably pregnant. Is she carrying a divine child or is there a more sinister force at play.

In the seedy underbelly of 18th century Paris, money is king. Nothing is sacred - even love itself can be bought for the right price. A native of this hedonistic underworld, Manon is caught between twin desires when she falls in love with the student Des Grieux. Steadfast and devoted, he offers the possibility of an honourable life. Yet, the riches promised by the world of Parisian society remain tempting....

Manon's inner turmoil and struggle for survival lie at the devastating heart of Kenneth MacMillan's 1974 adaptation of Abbe Prevost's novel. In this signature work of the Royal Ballet, MacMillan's nuanced understanding of human psychology makes for an unflinching look into the moral degradation of Manon's Paris, while all its decadence and decay are brought to life through Jules Massenet's score and Nicholas Georgiadi's design.

Choreography KENNETH MACMILLAN

Music JULES MASSENET

Orchestration MARTIN YATES

Conductor KOEN KESSELS

Designer NICHOLAS GEORGIADIS

Lighting Designer JACOPO PANTANI