All about: The Theatre Royal Stratford East

The Theatre Royal at Stratford is one of the most famous theatres in England. Located in Stratford upon Avon, it has been the home of the Theatre Workshop since 1953. It has always been regarded as a theatre to try new productions, including the first All Blacks musical to transfer to the West End.

History

The Theatre Royal was built and opened in 1884. It was commissioned by actor-manager Charles Dillon. It was extended in 1887 and the stage was rebuilt in 1902 by the original architect. The theatre was used intermittently under the management of the Fredericks family after 1926. They continued to run the theatre until after the First World War In the 1970s. English Heritage had to step and protect the theatre by giving it a Grade II listing and by protecting it from the Stratford growth. Over the years, many artistic directors have worked in the theatre and they have produced ground-breaking productions.

Shows

The Theatre Royal has always prided itself on ground-breaking productions. In 2005, it made history by transferring the first All Blacks musical to the London West End. The theatre has a strong history of producing established work, but it also works with new writers and regularly premières work by new writers who are looking to establish themselves in the theatre world. The theatre has a community project called Open Stage. This project is designed to give the people of East London the option to decide or at least, have a say in the productions that the theatre puts on. By opening the selection process, the theatre hopes to appeal to audiences who usually would not attend the theatre.

Future

The theatre has many shows planned for the future, including a new adaptation of 'A Clockwork Orange', directed by Darren Hart and set to run until 01.10.11. The tradition of new shows continues with the première of Shalom Baby, running from 20th October until 19th November. The theatre will also play host to the London run of 'Roadkill', fresh from its run in Paris and Scotland. Family audiences can also look forward to the annual pantomime which in 2011, is Cinderella. Tickets for all of these shows are available to book now, either by phone or from their website. Ticket availability is subject to change and prices are listed on the website.