RSC Courtyard Theatre, Stratford upon Avon, UK
N 52° 11.343 W 001° 42.392
30U E 588420 N 5782853
RSC Courtyard Theatre, Stratford upon Avon.
Known locally as "The Rusty Shed"
Waymark Code: WM454X
Location: West Midlands, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 07/08/2008
Views: 111
RSC (Royal Shakespeare Company) Courtyard Theatre. Previously/also known as The Other Place (TOP)
The Other Place opened as a theatre in 1973, and the scope it offered directors for producing theatre that was both intimate and intense was soon appreciated by audiences and actors alike.
There was a small square stage and seating in the round for no more than 180.
As the RSC develops it plans to transform its flagship theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, a new, temporary home is now open on the site of The Other Place studio theatre. The RSC’s intention has always been to perform in Stratford during the work on the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in order to safeguard the £58 million the Company contributes to the regional economy each year.
The new building, designed by Ian Ritchie Architects, incorporates a new 1,048 seat auditorium, while the existing Other Place auditorium houses the theatres foyer space, cloakroom, bar areas, dressing room and rehearsal space. Ian Ritchie's most recent projects include The Spire in Dublin and the new production centre at the Plymouth Theatre Royal.
The Courtyard Theatre’s walls are built in ‘Corten A’ steel sheets creating a soundproof auditorium to meet the RSC’s high acoustic requirements. This recyclable material was chosen so that its red colour blends with the surrounding buildings.
The thrust stage auditorium, where the audience are seated on three sides of the action, will form the basis of the new auditorium for the transformed Royal Shakespeare Theatre. In the new configuration 86% of the audience will sit within 10 meters of the stage compared to the original Royal Shakespeare Theatre which has only 26% of its seats within 10 metres of the stage.
The exciting new space opened in July 2006 with a major staging of the rarely seen Henry VI trilogy directed by Michael Boyd.
Theater Name: RSC Courtyard Theatre
Country: UK
Address:
The Courtyard Theatre
Southern Lane,
Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire UK
CV37 6BB
Web Site: [Web Link]
Venue: Other (specify in narrative)
Type of Productions:
The aim of the RSC is to keep modern audiences in touch with Shakespeare as our contemporary.
That means that as well as the work of Shakespeare and his contemporaries, the repertoire includes classic plays by international dramatists and work by living writers.
Date of Construction: The Other Place 1973, The Courtyard 2006
Architect/Designer: Ian Ritchie Architects.
Stage Type: Thrust
Seating Capacity: 1048
Restored Building: Not Listed
Special Productions/Events/Festivals: Not listed
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