England: Seeing Shakespeare in Stratford on Avon

I have been to Stratford on Avon several times, by several I mean 5 or 6. Part of any visit to Stratford is taking in a play at the RSC. Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC ) is a repertory theater company. What this means is that the plays rotate and that the same actors must learn multiple roles in multiple plays. It is not every actor who is up for this challenge so you can expect to see the best of the best.

The RSC has been operating under the name Royal Shakespeare Company since 1961 but it has been around under different names for over 125 years.

It was in 1875 that a local brewer, Charles Edward Flower first decided that Stratford being Shakespeare’s home needed to have a Shakespearean Theater. It was opened four years later but it took them over 20 years to attract major names to their productions. They were granted a royal charter in 1925 but the theater was destroyed by a fire the following year.

A worldwide campaign was launched and a new theater was constructed. By the 1940′s major actors were performing in Stratford. Many names are ones we all recognize, Vivien Leigh, Michael Redgrave, Sir John Gielgud and Sir Laurence Olivier.

The sixties saw the name RSC attached to the company and it is now considered a great honor to be one of their players. A new crop of actors has sharpened their skills here including Judi Dench, Ian Richardson, and Trevor Nunn.

The Swan Theater was added in 1986 and used part of the shell of the 1926 building. The main theaters in Stratford are the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and the Swan. The Swan is a much smaller more intimate venue.

While you are in Stratford, take the time to visit Shakespeare’s grave which is in the church an easy walk from the theater complex. Walk along the river Avon, feed the ducks get to know the city that Shakespeare knew. It is a bit of a tourist trap but in a good way.



I am a great Shakespeare fan and have enjoyed many Shakespearean plays but the one that will always stick in my mind was the one I saw on September 11, 2001, it was Hamlet and it was in Stratford. A very modernistic version with the sound of a whirling helicopter and the exceptional cast made for an unforgettable night, especially given what had occurred in the U.S. on that day.

In 2006 I saw the Canterbury Tales Part I at the Swan Theater and it was so good that when the RSC brought Part 2 to the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., it was a no-brainer whether to go and was well worth the trip.

There is nothing quite like seeing Shakespeare performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford and if you want to see the best there is, make an effort to see a performance. They do travel the world so you may not need to go to Stratford, but in my opinion, nothing else compares.

Of course, while you are there you can see the homes that are a part of the story of the life of the bard and even visit his grave.