Bryan Cranston is starring in a stage adaptation of Network

He’ll play Howard Beale in a brand new National Theatre production.

Words

Lena Hanafy

Bryan Cranston is set to make his London stage bow in a brand new National Theatre production of Sidney Lumet’s classic 1976 film, Network. A powerful satire of the television industry, it follows the agonising unravelling of presenter Howard Beale as he’s ruthlessly exploited by station execs cynically chasing ratings.

Beale is a highly combustible character famed for his iconic “mad as hell” monologue – it’s a role that should fit Cranston like a pair of big yellow rubber gloves. The Breaking Bad actor will also be able to draw on his Tony Award-winning depiction of Lyndon B Johnson in the Broadway play, ‘All the Way’.

There’s much more to Network than a balls-to-the-wall central performance though, and Billy Elliot writer Lee Hall will have a tough job on his hands if he’s to improve on Paddy Chayefsky’s Oscar-winning screenplay. Network’s caustic media commentary has never felt more relevant, and given current broadcasting trends the producers of this stage version won’t be lacking for inspiration.

Published 27 Jan 2017

Tags: Bryan Cranston

Suggested For You

Bryan Cranston: ‘We have a warped sense of politics in America’

By Adam Woodward

The Trumbo star cuts loose about why the case of the Hollywood Ten should be viewed as a cautionary tale.

Six great films that show the dark side of the TV industry

By Tom Bond

From Network to Nightcrawler, cinema has a long history of exposing television’s rotten core.

Godzilla

By Adam Lee Davies

Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla is one of the great blockbusters of modern times. Believe.

review LWLies Recommends

Little White Lies Logo

About Little White Lies

Little White Lies was established in 2005 as a bi-monthly print magazine committed to championing great movies and the talented people who make them. Combining cutting-edge design, illustration and journalism, we’ve been described as being “at the vanguard of the independent publishing movement.” Our reviews feature a unique tripartite ranking system that captures the different aspects of the movie-going experience. We believe in Truth & Movies.

Editorial

Design