# Where to watch The Portable Theatre (1969) in the UK

> The Portable Theatre (1969) is available to watch free in the UK on BFI Player. Last verified on 15 May 2026 by ScreenSearch.

**Type:** Film  
**Year:** 1969  
**Runtime:** 24 minutes  
**Region:** United Kingdom (GB)  
**Last verified:** 15 May 2026 (2026-05-15T21:06:28.795Z)  

## Synopsis

An appealing portrait of the McCormick players, one of the last travelling theatre groups in Ireland in the late 1960s.  Terence McDonald captures their variety show of songs, sketches and puppetry, along with interviews with the family members, most of whom were born into the business and have been on stage from as young as three years old. The audiences are diminishing due to the rise in television and showbands, but the family’s passion for the stage still burns brightly. RTÉ had scheduled this documentary for broadcast in 1967 but postponed transmission after the Apollo 1 explosion due to the unintended new context of one of Bert’s songs You’ll Never Reach the Moon.  The film concludes with a song wishing the family goodbye with a final curtain call, with the family credited as Colm McCormick, Betty, Bert Patterson, Coral Patterson, Queenie White and Joe.

## Streaming options in the United Kingdom

### Free (with ads or TV licence)

- [BFI Player](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1467462-the-portable-theatre/watch?locale=GB)

## Frequently asked questions

**Where can I watch The Portable Theatre for free in the UK?**

The Portable Theatre (1969) is available free (with adverts or a TV licence) on BFI Player in the United Kingdom.

**Is The Portable Theatre on Netflix, Disney+ or Amazon Prime Video in the UK?**

The Portable Theatre is not currently included with any major UK subscription service. It may still be available to rent or buy.

**How accurate is this film's availability data?**

Availability is sourced from The Movie Database (TMDB), which in turn pulls from JustWatch. Listings are refreshed daily. For purchase decisions, the provider's own site is the source of truth.

## Sources

- Streaming availability: The Movie Database (TMDB), refreshed daily.
- Underlying licensing data: JustWatch.
- Canonical URL: https://www.screensearch.co.uk/watch/movie/1467462/the-portable-theatre-1969
- Poster image: https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w500/r2OyoRvc24Of5pLhRnQkKYRkAhg.jpg
- JSON variant: https://www.screensearch.co.uk/watch/movie/1467462/the-portable-theatre-1969.json

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