England Guide
The West Midlands and the Peak District
Stratford-upon-Avon
Despite its worldwide fame, STRATFORD-UPON-AVON is at heart an unassuming market town with an unexceptional pedigree. As the birthplace of William Shakespeare, the greatest writer ever to use the English language, this ordinary little town is nowadays all but smothered by package-tourist hype and, in the summer at least, its central streets groan under the weight of thousands of tourists. Chief among the attractions are the home of Shakespeare himself – the Birthplace Museum – and those of various relatives, including his mother, Mary Arden, wife Anne Hathaway and daughter, Susanna Hall. Most enticing of all, of course, are the performances of his plays by the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Royal Shakespeare Company performances
1 Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) 
0844 800 1110 
www.rsc.org.uk The RSC works on a repertory system, so you could stay in Stratford for a few days and see three or four different plays. Neither would they all have to be Shakespearean: the RSC does indeed focus on the great man's plays, but it offers other productions too, from new modern writing through to plays written by Shakespeare's contemporaries. The RSC currently performs in the Courtyard Theatre on Southern Lane, but 2010 sees the re-opening of the two renovated main theatres as well: the state-of-the-art Royal Shakespeare Theatre and the Swan Theatre, a replica "in-the-round" Elizabethan stage. Price: Tickets cost from £5–30
Read more ▼
- Practical Information ▼
- Sight(s) ▼
- Sports and Outdoor ▼