The story so far of the RSC’s Complete Works marathon has been largely that of performances, some wonderfully rich and strange, coming in from abroad. Unable to spend an entire summer camped out in Stratford, I have still to catch up with some of the reputedly stronger offerings by the home team. But even the prospect of having to battle for hot water and breakfast at one of Stratford’s more reputable hotels couldn’t keep me from the inauguration of the new Courtyard Theatre with Michael Boyd’s Henry VI trilogy, or from Patrick Stewart as Prospero in the unsatisfactory cinematic 1930s theatre which is shortly to be disembowelled (not before time) and reconstructed.
The Courtyard Theatre is a crucial transitional step. Built at a cost of £6 million (or the price of Sir Paul and Lady McCartney’s disputed villa in St John’s Wood), it’s to house the RSC while the old theatre and the (thankfully largely unaffected) Swan become a building site.
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in