David Tennant Richard II to be streamed to schools

Tennant took the title role in the RSC's 2008 staging of Hamlet

The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is to stream its upcoming production of Richard II starring former Doctor Who actor David Tennant to UK schools.

The sold-out performance of the 13 November Stratford-upon-Avon show will also be shown live in cinemas.

"We want to bring the work we make... to the widest possible audience," said RSC artistic director Gregory Doran.

"Taking our productions live into cinemas and direct into schools is the next logical step."

Richard II runs in Stratford from 10 October to 16 November before transferring to the Barbican in London in December.

A recording of the live performance will be streamed direct into up to 1,000 schools on 15 November, accompanied by a live studio link-up hosted by Konnie Huq.

Members of the creative team, including Doran and Tennant, will take part in a live online Q&A as part of the initiative.

Two further RSC Shakespeare plays will be filmed live during 2014, the titles of which will be announced in September.

Tennant - recently seen in ITV drama Broadchurch and The Politician's Husband on BBC Two - previously worked with the RSC on its hit 2008 production of Hamlet.

Doran, who directed that production, will also direct Richard II, which tells of a king whose vanity and weakness threatens to drag England into a dynastic civil war.

Speaking to the Guardian, Doran said it was "very important" that a way was found to "re-imagine" the production for a cinema audience.

"It mustn't just be like having a security camera peering at the stage," continued the director, who took over from previous RSC chief Michael Boyd last year.