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In The National Theatre at 50 for ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 4 Extra, Daniel Rosenthal conjures up stories and scenes from five decades of a unique national institution, featuring big names, songs from the shows and secrets from behind the scenes.

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How did an episode of Radio 3’s Private Passions inspire Alan Bennett when he was writing The History Boys?

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Why did the National once send copies of Mozart’s private correspondence to Margaret Thatcher at Number Ten?

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What happened when Paul McCartney was asked to write the music for an all-male production of As You Like It?

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And how did the death of JFK affect Denys Lasdun, the architect for the National Theatre building on London’s South Bank?

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All of the above - and more - in a theatrical three hours that features some of the National’s biggest names from the archive and goes backstage to hear the unsung heroes working in wardrobe, as prop designers, puppet makers, stage managers and front of house.

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We hear from Judi Dench, Jane Horrocks, Alan Bennett, Ken Campbell, Bob Hoskins, Richard Briers, Clive Rowe, Henry Goodman, Paterson Joseph, Michelle Terry, playwright Howard Brenton, and artistic directors Laurence Olivier, Peter Hall, Richard Eyre and Nicholas Hytner.

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Productions featured include: The Romans In Britain, Amadeus, Guys and Dolls, The Wind in The Willows, The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, A Little Night Music, Arthur Miller’s Broken Glass, One Man, Two Guvnors and War Horse.

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With excerpts from ´óÏó´«Ã½ archive programmes, the National Theatre Archive and Daniel Rosenthal’s own personal recordings.

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There’s also another chance to hear Michael Gambon, Maggie Smith, Derek Jacobi and Joan Plowright recalling the triumphant early years of The National Theatre Company, in an especially evocative edition of from 2009.

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Daniel Rosenthal is the author of The National Theatre Story, due for publication Autumn 1013.

On Radio 4:

Sunday 6 October

The Road to the National TheatreÌý

Sunday 13 October

The Road to the National Theatre

On Radio 4 Extra:

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Saturday 19 October

9.00am–12.00pm (rpt 7.00pm – 10.00pm)

Daniel Rosenthal conjures up stories and scenes from five decades of a unique national institution, featuring big names, songs from the shows and secrets from behind the scenes.

Sunday 20 October

11.00am – 12.00pm (rpt 7.00 – 8.00pm)
Another chance to hear The Nativity from Bill Bryden's Royal National Theatre production of The Mysteries, based on the medieval plays of York, Wakefield and Chester, in a version by Tony Harrison.

8.00pmÌý –Ìý 9.30pm
First performed at the National Theatre in 2003 the play won its author Kwame Kwei-Armah the Evening Standard Drama Awards Most Promising Playwright award.ÌýÌý
Ex-boxer Deli runs a cafe in Hackney. Keeping his son safe, his business alive and staying out of trouble is a full-time job in East London's notorious Murder Mile.

Monday 21 October

7.00pm – 8.00pm
In 1982 Mary Whitehouse brought a prosecution against Michael Bogdanov, director of the National Theatre, over the production of Howard Brenton’s The Romans in Britain, which included a simulated male rape. In Mark Lawson’s documentary drama about the case actors Peter Sproule and Greg Hicks play themselves, with Eleanor Bron as Mrs Mary Whitehouse and Simon Callow as Peter Hall.

Monday 21 October – Friday 25 October

2.30 – 2.45pmÌý
Retold in five 15 minute episodes, this is Bill Bryden’s radio version of his National Theatre production of The Passion adapted from the medieval Mystery plays of York, Wakefield and Chesterfield and written by Tony Harrison.

Saturday 26 October

7.00pm - 9.30pm

Sunday 27 October

7.00pm - 9:15pm

Sunday 3 November

7.00pm - 9.00pm

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On ´óÏó´«Ã½4:

Thursday 24 October

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Thursday 31 October

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On ´óÏó´«Ã½2:

Saturday 2 November