• The River Avon and the new RST complex seen from Clopton Bridge
now shares an array of new public spaces with the intimate little Swan Theatre. This latter popular and charismatic venue has remained largely unchanged, apart from some improvements made for audience comfort and backstage practicalities. New spaces in the transformed RST include the Rooftop
Restaurant with a double-height ceiling and beautiful views over the River Avon, plus an additional Riverside Cafe and Terrace. There is also a Colonnade linking the Royal Shakespeare and Swan Theatres for the first time, plus the new ‘PACCAR’ Room for exhibitions such as art, photography costumes and so on. But the most eye-catching feature of the whole
transformation is the new 36metre-high tower that provides outstanding views from its rooftop viewing platform. As well as a panorama across the roof-tops of old Stratford. There are sweeping views up and down the River Avon and out across the surrounding countryside. On a clear day, four counties will be visible...Warwickshire, of course, along with parts of Worcestershire, Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire.
Outside the theatre is the new public outdoor space of
Weston Square, that connects it with the old town to the west. Plus there is a new riverside walk which stretches from the familiar canal basin in Bancroft Gardens, past the theatre and towards Holy Trinity Church, where Shakespeare is buried. On its interior, the building retains the best of its original Art Deco and Victorian features. These have
been sensitively refurbished and restored and used in conjunction with bold new architectural themes. The interior design incorporates the most significant
remains of the earlier theatres which stood on the site and retains their essential character. There are reminders of the building’s original footprint throughout. The intimate new auditorium is contained within the scarred outer walls of Elisabeth Scott’s demolished auditorium, leaving a triple-height void on three sides. This provides much- needed orientation space and a potent physical reminder of the sheer scale of the old theatre. Finally the floor of the new public foyer is laid with original floorboards from the 1932 stage and the original much-admired but cramped Art Deco foyer has now become the Scott Bar, so named in honour of its designer, of course.
All in all, the transformation is a superb example of how
to integrate the old with the new and how to perfectly integrate a massive building with its public surroundings. Tourists and locals alike will undoubtedly be making the new Royal Shakespeare Theatre the focal point of a visit to Stratford-upon-Avon and enjoying it whether they actually plan to take in a performance or not. In fact, it is arguably Britain’s most significant new
project for the arts, entertainment and tourist industries since the redevelopment of the Salford Quays area of Manchester as the Lowry Centre. And, best of all, it is right in the heart of our Four Shires!
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