It’s a joy to have the intimate Swan auditorium open again, refurbished after going dark in the first sudden Covid closure, and to see once again a strong, nimble RSC ensemble conjuring up the past in Hamnet.
‘This adaptation is almost flawless’: ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL – Stratford-upon-Avon
The play All’s Well That Ends Well at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon provides a lot of food for thought, but under McIntyre’s eye it remains a humorous piece. This excellent adaptation is mesmerising from start to finish and is one of the best RSC productions I’ve seen.
‘Gregory Doran doing what he does better than any of his generation’: RICHARD III – Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford upon Avon ★★★★★
Take this as purest Shakespearian tragedy: vigorous but classic, a magnificent magnification of the darkest human and political longing, of affection, terror, defensiveness, hubris and – in the women – a defiant courage that rings down the ages. Don’t miss Richard III at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford upon Avon.
‘This exhilarating production makes you wonder why the play is often so overlooked’: HENRY VI: REBELLION – Stratford-upon-Avon (RSC)
The story begins with Henry welcoming his new bride, Margaret of Anjou, with a boisterous feast that isn’t exactly suited to his calm and reserved temperament – though Margaret immediately feels at home.
‘The music provides a haunting, grounding overlay’: THE COMEDY OF ERRORS – Barbican Centre (RSC)
It might seem a bit odd to come out of a Shakespeare play raving about the singing and music. Yet these elements are part of what lifts Phillip Breen’s captivating new RSC production.
‘Leaves you with a fuzzy, festive feeling of joy’: THE MAGICIAN’S ELEPHANT – Stratford-upon-Avon (RSC)
Everyone deserves a happy ending, and as we head towards the festive season, messages of hope and forgiveness start to provide us with a real sense of magic.
‘Hopeful & joyful without being sickly sweet’: THE MAGICIAN’S ELEPHANT – Stratford-upon-Avon (RSC) ★★★★
My first time back in Stratford-upon-Avon since February 2019, and roughly three years since I’d last stepped foot in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre – and after seeing some rehearsal footage of this new show, I was excited to see what this had turned into.
‘A sweet, warm-hearted Christmas show’: THE MAGICIAN’S ELEPHANT – Stratford-upon-Avon (RSC)
The Magician’s Elephant re-opens the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon after some 19 months of closure. It’s the same slot that famously produced Matilda.
NEWS: RSC cancels West End extension of The Mirror & the Light, now ends 28 Nov
The Royal Shakespeare Company has confirmed that The Mirror and the Light will end its run on the previously planned date of Sunday 28th November 2021 and not perform the planned extension to January 2022.
BY HILARY MANTEL AND BEN MILES
GIELGUD THEATRE
PRESS STATEMENT
Playful Productions and the Royal Shakespeare Company have confirmed today that The Mirror and the Light will end its run on the previously …
Puppetry, top casting & other reasons you should see The Magician’s Elephant
The RSC’s brand-new musical, an adaptation of The Magician’s Elephant, started performances this week at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. Earlier this month, the company opened its rehearsal room doors for a sneak peek. Why should you add this show to your list of autumn treats?
NEWS: RSC reopens Royal Shakespeare Theatre with new productions in spring 2022
The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) has released details of its Spring 2022 activity including Shakespeare returning to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre stage and the announcement of a ground-breaking national new writing project.
‘An interesting character study of the King & his best man’: THE MIRROR & THE LIGHT – West End
Hilary Mantel and Ben Miles have combined a sizeable semi-fictional tome and the familiar historical story of Henry VIII, distilling them into a properly theatrical show with something new to say about this era and the humble man who, for 10 years, commanded a king.
NEWS: Further casting is announced for the RSC premiere of The Magician’s Elephant
The Royal Shakespeare Company has announced further casting for The Magician’s Elephant, a new musical by Nancy Harris (book/lyrics) and Marc Teitler (music/lyrics) based on the novel by prize-winning children’s author Kate DiCamillo.
‘Really very little to fault’: THE COMEDY OF ERRORS – Royal Shakespeare Company
The visual interpretation and slapstick style of the RSC’s The Comedy of Errors make it a joy to watch, with timing used creatively to garner the most laughs.
NEWS: The RSC’s production of The Comedy of Errors transfers to the Barbican in November 2021
The Royal Shakespeare Company has announced that The Comedy of Errors will transfer to the Barbican for a strictly limited London run following a season in Stratford-upon-Avon and a short national tour.
So another delay to the ‘cautious, irreversible’ roadmap out of lockdown: It’s beginning to feel like Groundhog Day
In what is becoming a wearyingly predictable cycle, Boris Johnson’s latest failure to act fast enough to lockdown the country from the arrival of what is now known as the Delta variant of Covid, which originated in India, has resulted in it becoming the dominant strain of the virus in Britain — with the added problem that it is much more easily transmissible than previous strains.
As summer hopefully arrives, Mark Shenton picks out his Top 10 outdoor theatres
This is the time of year when we typically defy Britain’s unpredictable weather and decide that since its summer, we will sit in the outdoors to watch theatre, come rain or come shine (and it’s often the former).
‘Offers a faithful reading with some contemporary resonance’: THE WINTER’S TALE – RSC / BBC Lights Up Festival (Online review)
The Royal Shakespeare Company joins forces with BBC4 for the world premiere of A Winter’s Tale, a production intended for the 2020 stage and all but lost to theatre history.
NEWS: Royal Shakespeare Company’s summer programme features new outdoor theatre
The Royal Shakespeare Company has released full details of its summer 2021 programme which includes an artists’ impression of the newly conceived Lydia & Manfred Gorvy Garden Theatre.
NEWS: Leading theatre names call on Government to allow outdoor performances ‘at the earliest opportunity’
Signatories, along with 60 other names, including Annilese Miskimmon (artistic director, English National Opera); Catherine Mallyon (executive director, Royal Shakespeare Company); Neil Constable (chief executive, Shakespeare’s Globe); Oliver Mears (director of opera, Royal Opera House); and Michelle Cawardine-Palmer (executive director, Kneehigh) have called on the Government to allow the outdoor performing arts to spearhead the sector’s return at the earliest opportunity.