Feast of film at Stephen Joseph Theatre

From early December to early January, the theatre’s McCarthy cinema will screen a programme of films including Gone With The Wind, A Street Cat Named Bob, A Matter of Life and Death, Ethel and Ernest, The Muppet Christmas Carol, The Light Between Oceans, Hunt for the Wilderpeople and Arrival.

There will also be encore streamings of festive ballet The Nutcracker and of Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart in Pinter’s No Man’s Land, and a live streaming of the dazzling new production of The Tempest from the RSC.

The screening of Gone With The Wind will be in conjunction with the WEA film studies course, being held at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, and will be preceded by a short talk from course tutor George Cromack.

It is open to the public, and will have an interval.

A Street Cat Named Bob features local actress Joanne Froggatt, and tells the story of homeless James, whose life is turned around by a chance meeting with a ginger cat.

A Matter of Life and Death is 70 years old this year – this classic Powell and Pressburger movie, filmed in both Technicolour and black and white, stars David Niven as the stiff-upper-lipped British pilot who cheats death only to discover he wasn’t meant to.

Ethel and Ernest is the new big-screen version of author Raymond (The Snowman) Briggs’ moving graphic novel tribute to his parents.

Now 25 years old The Muppet Christmas Carol stars Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge alongside Muppet favourites Kermit, Miss Piggy and The Great Gonzo.

New film The Light Between Oceans stars Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander and Rachel Weisz in the story of a lighthouse keeper and his wife who adopt a baby girl they find adrift at sea.

New Zealand comedy adventure Hunt for the Wilderpeople is directed by Taikia Waititi whose other movies include Boy and What We Do in the Shadows. It stars Sam Neill and Julian Dennison as a mismatched pair who try to disappear, sparking a national manhunt.

Arrival is a new sci-fi drama starring Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner and Forest Whitaker as an elite team tackling an alien invasion.

Screening times are:

Gone With The Wind: Tuesday December 6 at 1pm.

A Street Cat Named Bob: Friday December 9 and Saturday December 10 at 2.45pm; Sunday December 11 at 7.45pm; Monday December 12 at 7.45pm (open captions); Wednesday December 14 at 2.45pm.

A Matter of Life and Death: Friday December 16 at 2.45pm.

The Nutcracker (ROH encore): Monday December 19 at 7.15pm.

Ethel and Ernest: Tuesday December 20 and Wednesday December 21 (relaxed) at 2.45pm.

The Muppet Christmas Carol: Monday December 26, Tuesday December 27 (relaxed), and Wednesday December 28 at 2.45pm.

The Light Between Oceans: Tuesday December 27 at 7.45pm; Wednesday December 28 at 2.45pm and 7.45pm (open captions); Thursday December 29 at 2.45pm and 7.15pm.

Hunt for the Wilderpeople: Friday December 30 at 2pm; Saturday December 31 at 5pm (open captions); Tuesday January 3 and Wednesday January 4 (relaxed) at 2.45pm.

Arrival: Friday December 30 at 5pm and 8pm; Saturday December 31 at 2pm (relaxed) and 8pm; Monday January 2 (open captions), Tuesday January 3 and Wednesday January 4 at 7.45pm; Thursday January 5 at 1.45pm.

No Man’s Land (NT delayed live): Thursday January 5 at 7pm.

The Tempest (RSC live): Wednesday January 11 at 7pm.

Cinema tickets are £7 (concessions £5), and for live streamings, £17. To book, please call the box office on 01723 370541 or visit the website: www.sjt.uk.com