historical theatre, London, United Kingdom. The company’s two main theatres, the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and the Swan Theatre, were closed in 2007 to allow their expansion and refurbishment, which was completed in 2010. 2020 All Folger programs and events will be held at other venues during construction. In 1576, when Shakespeare was still a 12-year-old in Stratford-upon-Avon, James Burbage built the Theatre just outside London. The elder Burbage had a long history as a theatrical entrepreneur. Maynard Mack of Yale University using a model of the Globe Theatre to discuss performance in William Shakespeare's day. 2006-7 Complete Works Festival - the first time that all 37 plays, the sonnets and the long poems have been performed in one place. If you are considering attending a performance, be aware that tickets often go quickly. The company was founded in 1875 and was originally attached to Stratford’s Shakespeare Memorial Theatre (opened 1879; destroyed by fire 1926), which had been built through the efforts of Charles Edward Flower. We invited UK and international artists and producers to explore Shakespeare as the world's playwright, reaching more than 1.8 million people with 69 productions, 263 amateur shows, 28 digital commissions and films, and much more. 212481) Royal Shakespeare Theatre and Swan Theatre are closed for construction work to begin.

The Royal Shakespeare Theatre was given its charter in 1961. Past artistic directors and other key people in RSC history. Modern works are also produced. The stage itself was relatively bare. The bare stages of Shakespeare's day had little or no scenery except for objects required by the plot, like a throne, a grave, or a bed. Since then the Company has moved from the Aldwych Theatre to The Barbican in London, and created the Swan Theatre in Stratford from the remains of the 1879 Memorial Theatre. InternetExplorer 11.0, so you may experience some difficulties using this website. A look at the history of the Royal Shakespeare Company The origins of the Royal Shakespeare Company can be traced back to 1961. A new theatre opened in 1932. The Royal Shakespeare Theatre (RST) is a 1,040+ seat thrust stage theatre owned by the Royal Shakespeare Company … CV37 6BB Spectators could pay for seating at multiple price levels; those with the cheapest tickets simply stood for the length of the plays.

After twenty years, the prestige of the company had grown so much that it was needed to move the group's London base to a larger venue. Because of its past and present history, the Royal Shakespeare Company is an invaluable cultural asset whose work must be seen first-hand at least once in everyone's life. In Shakespeare's time, a stage wasn't just one type of space; plays had to be versatile. As one of the United Kingdom's most acclaimed theatre companies, the Royal Shakespeare Company enjoys a well-deserved reputation in the cultural circles throughout Britain, Europe, and the Americas. Actors usually did not aim for historically accurate costumes, although an occasional toga may have appeared for a Roman play.

Discover a wealth of information on all of Shakespeare’s plays, including plot synopses, history, videos of plays in performance and details of our past productions. At the end of 1598, they decided to build one for themselves. Because the inheritance of Burbage’s sons, Cuthbert and Richard, was tied up in the Blackfriars, they formed a consortium with Shakespeare and four other actors, who became co-owners of the new Globe. They also offer a more intimate setting with the use of artificial light.