Adam Smith Theatre unveils new seasons of films for a fiver including Barbie, Wonka and the return of NT Live

The Adam Smith Theatre is following in the footsteps of the Kings Theatre on the Esplanade by pegging seat prices at £5 for its first full season following a three-year closure for a £7.8m refurbishment. The theatre is also re-starting its breakfast club movies, and has confirmed the return of the popular NT Live series which lets theatre lovers watch some of the biggest plays in the West End as the actors take to the stage.

The movies gets underway this weekend when a screening of with Wonka at 1:00pm on Saturday. The musical fantasy, which stars Hugh Grant and Olivia Coleman, tells the origin of the story of Willy Wonka his early days as a chocolatier.

Saturday also sees an evening screening of Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny - the fifth in the swashbuckling series starring Harrison Ford - at 7:00m.

The theatre brings back its popular Breakfast Club starting on Wednesday, February 14 with The Great Escaper, starring Michael Caine. It is based on the true story of Bernard Jordan who escaped from his care home to attend the 70th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings in France, and the film will be followed by an informal discussion about it in the The Spinning Top cafe.

The venue plans to host morning movies, with an 11:00am start in the morning every fortnight, and will also serve up a hot filled bagel and a tea or coffee for £5 before the lights go down.

The sheer drama of NT Live returns on Friday, February 16 with the rollicking wartime comedy Jack Absolute Flies Again which is based on Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s The Rivals. After an aerial dog fight, Pilot Officer Jack Absolute flies home to win the heart of his old flame, Lydia Languish. Back on British soil, his advances soon turn to anarchy when the young heiress demands to be loved on her own, very particular, terms.

And theatre lovers can toast NT Live’s return by sampling a Valentine's cocktail in the bar, specially created for the relaunch.

The NT Live season continues with two more shows. Vanya – a radical reworking of Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya – is on March 15, and The Motive and the Cue, which reimagines Richard Burton and John Gielgud’s performance of Hamlet, is on April 19.

February’s line-up of films is completed with Oppenheimer with more blockbusters to come including Bob Marley: One Love on March 29; Barbie on April 13; and a Star Wars movie on May 4. On April 13, the Adam Smith will host comedian Janey Godley's newly released film, Janey – with a stand-up set from her as part of the evening.

Karen Taylor, community events and programme manager, says: “We know how much our audiences have missed movies at the Adam Smith – so we’re delighted the big screen is back, offering cinema treats for film fans of all ages.”