Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon

Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon (must see)

"O for a Muse of fire, that would ascend the brightest heaven of invention...." That comes to mind upon seeing the house and stage of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre (RSC) after its transformation of 2010. The Royal Shakespeare Theatre and the Swan Theatres reopened in 2010 after the extensive changes wrought by the Transformation Project.

This was a redo of the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre (SMT) which had been opened in 1932. The original theatre had been destroyed by fire six years earlier. The new SMT was designed by Elisabeth Scott. Ms Scott's theatre was renamed to Royal Shakespeare Theatre in 1961 after the creation of the Royal Shakespeare Company the previous year.

The RST is a 1,040 seat theatre with a thrust stage, bounded by the audience on three sides. The theatre is owned by the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC). The new theatre is referred to as a "one room" theatre. Actors and audience are close together in the same room, as in Shakespeare's time. The play is an intimate experience for all.

The Theatre has a Rooftop Restaurant and bar offering views of the river Avon. There are also a Riverside Cafe and Terrace. There is a colonnade linking the RSC and the Swan Theatre. There is a tower, 118 feet in height with dramatic perspectives of the town and countryside. A riverside walk reaches from Bancroft Gardens past the Theatre.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip officially opened the Theatre in March 2011. An urn with the ashes of Actor Ian Richardson was placed in the foundation by his widow and son in 2007.

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Royal Shakespeare Theatre on Map

Sight Name: Royal Shakespeare Theatre
Sight Location: Stratford-upon-Avon, England (See walking tours in Stratford-upon-Avon)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Stratford-upon-Avon, England

Create Your Own Walk in Stratford-upon-Avon

Create Your Own Walk in Stratford-upon-Avon

Creating your own self-guided walk in Stratford-upon-Avon is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Stratford-upon-Avon Introduction Walking Tour

Stratford-upon-Avon Introduction Walking Tour

"Strat" is an Old English term derived from the Latin "Stratum", the word for street. A "ford" is a section of a stream where a crossing may be made. "Avon" is Celtic for river. Put them all together with links like a sausage and you have Stratford-upon-Avon. The ford actually exists. It is now marked by Clopton Bridge.

Primal Stratford was established by...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.9 Km or 1.2 Miles
Historical Tudor Houses Walking Tour

Historical Tudor Houses Walking Tour

The first thing that strikes one walking across the medieval center of Stratford-Upon-Avon is the abundance of timber-framed Tudor houses. Their most notable feature, often combined with an overhanging upper story, is an exposed wooden framework; the rest is typically filled with brick, plaster or wattle-and-daub.

Many of these buildings have been kept in their original state, notably the...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.1 Km or 0.7 Miles
William Shakespeare Walking Tour

William Shakespeare Walking Tour

The picturesque town of Stratford-upon-Avon is steeped in the history of William Shakespeare. Indeed, Shakespeare's hometown is where he was born and also where he passed away on the same day (23 April) 52 years later.

Many period locations in town, related to his and his family's life, are preserved as Britain's national heritage and visited by millions of people every year in a...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles