Arts and Culture

You can really immerse yourself in culture and the arts in Stratford.  With theatre, music, festivals, art galleries and sculpture displays, there is much to appreciate throughout the year.

Enjoy the sounds of the Stratford Music Festival (13-21 October 2008).  The Civic Hall also offers an exciting cultural programme with opera, dance and drama while Shakespearience is transformed in the evening with a variety of live music and comedy.

The Royal Shakespeare Company are currently transforming the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon to create a dynamic space for performing and enjoying Shakespeare.  The transformation project is due for completion in 2010.  In the meantime, the RSC's main playhouse in Stratford-upon-Avon is The Courtyard Theatre which opened in 2006.  Indeed, The Courtyard Theatre's auditorium will be a template for the new Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

The RSC's 2008 season sees David Tennant and Patrick Stewart perform in Chief Associate Director Gregory Doran's new production of Hamlet.  David Tennant will also play Berowne in the rarely performed Love's Labour's Lost.  Patrick Stewart returns following his acclaimed performances in Antony and Cleopatra and The Tempest as part of The Complete Works Festival last year. David was last in Stratford in 2000, playing Romeo in Michael Boyd's production of Romeo and Juliet.

Also returning to the repertoire is Gregory Doran's hugely popular 2005 production of A Midsummer Night's Dream , whilst a second acting ensemble led by Conall Morrison and Tim Carroll will perform The Taming of the Shrew and The Merchant of Venice


For more information click here for the official Stratford visitor website: www.shakespeare-country.co.uk