The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) has unveiled plans to transform its home in Stratford-upon-Avon, opening up the 1932 Royal Shakespeare Theatre and bringing the audience and actors closer together in a more engaging auditorium for Shakespeare. The Company has already received pledges for 85 per cent of the £100 million required for the project.
"Initial designs from project architects Bennetts Associates will restore the key Art Deco elements of the Grade II listed theatre while creating a more welcoming, combined entrance for both the Royal Shakespeare and Swan Theatres," state press notes.At the heart of the project is a new main stage for the Company, designed with theatre consultants Charcoalblue. The new Royal Shakespeare Theatre will replace the 1932 auditorium which owes more to cinema than theatre design and separates the audience from the actors.The RSC's ambition is to create the best theatre for Shakespeare in the world, a modern take on the courtyard theatres of Shakespeare's day, with a thrust stage auditorium seating just over 1,000 people. The aim is to transform the relationship between artists and audiences, reducing the distance from the furthest seat to the stage from 30 to 15 metres.RSC Artistic Director Michael Boyd said: "We want to move away from the 19th Century proscenium 'picture frame' to a theatre which celebrates interaction. Our commitment to bring an immediacy and clarity to Shakespeare means we need to bring the audience to a more engaged relationship with our actors. The best way we can achieve this is in a bold, thrust-stage, one-room auditorium – a modern take on the theatres of Shakespeare's day.'"
Key elements of the scheme include:· A new 1,000 seat thrust stage for the Royal Shakespeare Theatre;· Restoration of the valued heritage elements of the building;· An accessible riverside walkway running alongside the RSC's theatres enhancing access to the river and gardens;· Dramatically expanded and fully accessible public areas with improved facilities for audiences, including a rooftop café/restaurant and two new café/bars, foyers linking the Royal Shakespeare and Swan Theatres, and more and better toilets;· A theatre tower marking a new entrance, providing circulation to all parts of the building and unrivalled views across Stratford;· A public square, providing a meeting place and outdoor stage for music and performance that connects the theatres and their surrounding environment;· Improved and accessible backstage conditions for artists and stage crew, including new dressing rooms as well as training, study and rehearsal spaces for actors;
· A centre for the RSC's workshop, learning and administrative facilities immediately opposite the theatre, providing opportunities for tours revealing the backstage life of the Company.The RSC, which contributes £57 million a year to the economy of the West Midlands, will continue performing in Stratford throughout the transformation at a new, temporary venue, The Courtyard Theatre. In addition to a year-round presence in Stratford, the Company will continue to perform in London, Newcastle and on tour in the UK and overseas during construction work on the Royal Shakespeare and Swan Theatres.The 1,000 seat Courtyard Theatre, designed by Ian Ritchie Architects, opens in July 2006 with Michael Boyd's Olivier Award winning production of Shakespeare's Henry VI trilogy. Built as an extension to The Other Place, the RSC's studio theatre, The Courtyard Theatre is a prototype for the auditorium in the new Royal Shakespeare Theatre.
Following the transformation of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, The Other Place will then be restored as a home for the Company's small scale and experimental work.The RSC has already secured 85 per cent of the funding required for the £100 million transformation project. In 2005 Arts Council England confirmed their £50 million pledge for the project to be matched from other sources. In January this year, regional development agency Advantage West Midlands pledged to invest a further £20 million in the project to reflect the RSC's position as a flagship for cultural tourism and a significant economic force in the region.RSC Honorary Associate Artist, Dame Judi Dench and RSC Deputy Chair Susie Sainsbury, will lead the international fundraising campaign to reach the £100 million target. The RSC has already secured over £15 million in private pledges, with significant commitments from the RSC Board and Governors and supporters in the West Midlands. As with the fundraising for the construction of the Royal Shakespeare and Swan Theatres, funding has also been secured from donors in the United States through RSC America and its Board members.
Work on the transformation of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre is scheduled to start in Spring 2007 following the RSC's year-long Complete Works festival. The Company expects to submit a planning and listed building application later this year. The Royal Shakespeare and Swan Theatres will re-open in 2010.Visit www.rsc.org.uk/transformation for more information.
