Brush Up Your Shakespeare!

My current hobby (other than travel) is to see each of Shakespeare's plays performed, as the RSC is currently in a cycle of presenting them all. We live about an hour and a half drive away, so it makes a pleasant weekend outing to drive up on Saturday afternoon, book into a hotel, have something to eat and see the show.  

Royal Shakespeare Theatre

As an attractive and historic town I suppose that Stratford-upon-Avon would attract visitors even if it weren't for its literary connections, but the Shakespeare connection is certainly well to the fore. Even a local secondhand bookshop boasts a shelf of Shakespeare's works under the label 'local author'.

As it is a popular spot for tourists, Stratford, like Bath, York and Windsor, to name but three, has many tea rooms and gift shops aimed at the tourist market. Street entertainers are in evidence even in January. Despite that, it's definitely well worth visiting, but if you are from overseas, please don't be fooled into thinking it is typical of an English market town.

Obvious things to see whilst in Stratford include the various Shakespeare houses, but If all the Shakespearean culture gets too much, you can sit by the river and talk to the ducks, or take a boat ride. If you want to feed the ducks, you can buy duck food at the Tourist Information Centre for £1 - it's much better for the ducks than stale bread. 

If you are there on a Sunday during the summer, you may also have the opportunity to meet some owls at the Waterside Market.

For something completely different, try the MAD Museum. No, despite the name, this is not a museum about insanity. 'MAD' stands for 'Mechanical Art and Design.' The Museum was launched in 2012. Its website describes it as a showcase for 'the world’s finest pieces of Kinetic Art and Automata belonging to pioneering artists from all four corners of the globe.' That sounds rather highbrow, but the museum is actually a place full of strange gadgets and gizmos that move, light up, emit strange noises and are generally great fun to interact with. If Wallace from Wallace and Gromit were to design a museum, this would be it. One of the exhibits even uses kitchen utensils to transport small balls around. 'Garden Bear', a piece by Theo Kaccoufa, is made from steel rods and wire, brass, recycled tin cans, recycled card, nuts and bolts, MDF and an electric motor.

Visitors are able to interact with the exhibits by pressing buttons, turning handles (or even clapping), and although some of the pieces are serious works of art, it's a great place to take children who may be less enthralled with Stratford's literary connections.

Be aware though, that one or two of the exhibits are a bit creepy: there's a magician automaton doing a 'cup and ball' trick, which can be a little unnerving, and the 'Dartmoor Pony of the Apocalypse' is nightmarish.

But don't forget to go to the theatre! The experience of seeing an RSC production should not be missed. Tickets need not be all that expensive, particularly if you don't mind 'restricted view' (which means that you may not have a good view of part of the stage, but will quite possibly have a very good view of some of the action), or preview tickets. RSC tickets are much better value than London's West End.

For our weekend jaunts I’m a big fan of the Premier Inn. No frills, but the rooms are spacious and well-designed. The central one is closest the RSC. It has no on-site parking, but there is a large public multi-story a short walk away.  The Waterways branch is a longer walk through the town to the theatre, but has a pleasant setting by the canal, and on site (paid) parking, if you are lucky.  Slightly farther out, the Travelodge has reliable free parking and is close to an out of town  shopping complex, but is still within a 20-25 minute walk of the RSC. Sometimes I try other hotels.  Out of town, the New Inn at Clifford Chambers is good value.  For something slightly more upmarket, the MacDonald Swan’s Nest is just a short walk across the bridge from the RSC.

For pre-theatre dining, we like the Rooftop Restaurant at the RSC itself, or one of the numerous restaurants in nearby Sheep Street.  You really need to book for pre-theatre on a Saturday night, but if you have forgotten, Thespians (an Indian Restaurant) may be able to fit you in.