City News

To celebrate the opening of its new temporary venue, The Courtyard Theatre, the RSC and ITV Central have launched a unique initiative to give young people access to theatre. During July and August, the opening months of The Courtyard Theatre’s operation, 100 tickets per performance will be available free to under 30s. The offer builds on the success of the RSC’s £5 tickets for 16-25 year olds designed to introduce young people to theatregoing.

The Courtyard Theatre, designed by Ian Ritchie Architects, is the Royal Shakespeare Company’s new 1,000 seat temporary theatre. The new venue opens on 7 July 2006 with RSC Artistic Director Michael Boyd’s productions of Shakespeare’s Henry VI trilogy – a highlight of the Company’s acclaimed Complete Works festival.

Artistic Director Michael Boyd said:

‘We’re always looking at new ways to introduce young people to Shakespeare and we know that the cost of tickets can be a deterrent. To open The Courtyard Theatre we’ve set aside tickets for each performance to target new audiences for our work – making the most of the extra capacity in Stratford this summer. Looking at our current audience, it’s young people who are under-represented. That’s why I’m delighted to be working with ITV to give anyone under 30 the chance to see our work for free at the height of the Complete Works festival.

‘The Courtyard already has charisma. It’s going to be a great place to see Shakespeare – an intimate theatre where the actors and the audience are in the same room, allowing the performance to become an “up-close”, shared experience.’

Ticket offer targets youth

The offer is open to anyone aged 30 and under living in the UK and free tickets are valid for all performances of Shakespeare’s Henry VI Parts I, II and III in The Courtyard Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon during July and August 2006. The 100 tickets for each performance will be spread throughout the theatre, including the best seats in the house. Tickets are limited to two per person and allocated on a first come, first served basis subject to availability. Booking for the under 30s offer, via the Box Office (01789 403492) or the RSC’s website, opens on 20 June.

This new initiative targets young people who are beginning to make their own decisions about how they spend their spare time. Currently under-represented in the RSC’s existing audiences, the initiative aims to attract young people under-30s who are beginning to develop their own tastes and leisure habits. Research of the RSC’s £5 ticket scheme for 16-25 year olds shows the ticket offer has attracted a more socially and ethnically diverse audience. One third of the 10,000 young people who have taken up the offer were attending the RSC for the first time. The cost of the £5 tickets was the prompt for two thirds of the 16-25 year old audience to attend.

Ian Squires, Managing Director, ITV Central said:

‘ITV Central prides itself in its role as a champion for the region and has always been a major supporter of theatre and the RSC. ‘This partnership gives our viewers the unique opportunity to find out more about the RSC and its work first-hand, and gives Central News the chance to assist in attracting a new audience to Stratford.’

Courtyard Theatre – dynamic new venue for the RSC

The Courtyard Theatre has been built as an extension to The Other Place, previously the RSC’s 150-seat studio theatre in Stratford. The new building houses a new 1,000 seat auditorium, while The Other Place auditorium provides the foyer space, cloakroom, bar areas, dressing rooms and band rehearsal space for The Courtyard Theatre. The auditorium, designed with theatre consultants Charcoalblue, is a prototype for the new Royal Shakespeare Theatre – reflecting the Company’s ambition to bring actors and audience closer together.

The Courtyard Theatre provides the RSC with valuable extra capacity during the Complete Works festival, and from April 2007 will serve as the Company’s main performance venue in Stratford during the transformation of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, due for completion in 2010. The Courtyard Theatre was built in 11 months, on time and on budget at a cost of £6 million.

The new building has been designed by Ian Ritchie Architects, among whose 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 of ‘Corten A’ steel sheets creating a sound-proof auditorium to meet the RSC’s high acoustic requirements. This recyclable material was chosen so that its red colour blends with the surrounding buildings.

Architect Ian Ritchie said:

‘When I began work on the design for The Courtyard Theatre the vision was to create a space that worked for everybody – artists, the audience and the people who have to work in the building. And although the building is temporary, it doesn’t mean it can’t also be beautiful. The design allows people to get a real sense of theatre as they walk to their seat. I think people will be surprised to see how close they are seated to the stage. The real test however will be the RSC’s audiences – and I can’t wait to see how they respond.’

As well as Shakespeare’s Henry VI trilogy, the venue also plays host to other productions during the year-long Complete Works festival including the final production of the festival, King Lear, with Sir Ian McKellen in the title role, directed by Sir Trevor Nunn.

New discount for Stratford residents

The Royal Shakespeare Company is also celebrating the opening of the Courtyard Theatre with a special offer for Stratford District residents. In partnership with Stratford-upon-Avon District Council, the RSC is offering tickets to residents for all the three parts of Henry VI, the inaugural productions in the Courtyard Theatre, at the discounted price of £10 for each play. Stratford District Council residents can purchase the best available seat for any of the three plays within the Henry VI trilogy for just £10 per ticket. The £10 tickets can be purchased for performances between 7th July and 8th September 2006.

Ticket offer details

The under 30s tickets can be reserved by telephoning the box office on 01789 403492 and online via www.rsc.org.uk - but can only be collected in person from the RSC Box Office. ID to support proof of age is required for all under 30s tickets. The Courtyard Theatre will be featured on Central News on Tuesday 20 June as part of a week of promotions for the under 30s offer.