
National Theatre Live: Phaedra(2023)
In a house of glass, one must not throw stones.
After years of fierce focus on her political career, a politician turns her attention to her personal life. The reappearance of a figure from her past shakes the foundations of her house and the beliefs that have underpinned her power. As buried lust and loneliness surge to the surface, her actions threaten to destroy everything she has built.

Movie: National Theatre Live: Phaedra
Video Trailer National Theatre Live: Phaedra
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