The digital broadcasting of performances to cinemas, or 'livecasting', burst onto the world scene in 2006. This book explores the reasons for its rise, examines the aesthetics of filming theatre and opera performances, and explores who the audiences are and what they want.

Martin Barker publishes extensively on topics as widely-ranging as censorship controversies, The Lord of the Rings , comic books and their readers, racism in contemporary Britain, and film audiences. After periods at the University of the West of England, Sussex and Aberystwyth, he is now Professor of Film & Television at the University of East Anglia, UK. Alongside his more academic work, he has conducted research for the British Board of Film Classification and worked with Picturehouse Cinemas.