Recently we visited The Royal Shakespeare Theatre where a fascinating tour had been arranged for us. Backstage there are quick change rooms for actors who have more than one part. We particularly enjoyed seeing the props and various costumes worn by the RST actors. The RST has around a thousand tiered seats and has a sloped stage and a proscenium arch.

Then we had a short tour of The Swan Theatre, which is linked by corridors to the RST. This smaller theatre, which seats around 400 people, has a thrust stage, which means that there is no backstage, so the actors either sit with the audience before taking the stage or make an entrance from the back doors normally used by the audience.

We all thoroughly enjoyed this trip to Stratford and would like to go again.

Chloe Watson and Helena Brooke, U3EH

Backstage at the RST

Click here for more photos: http://www.kingsleygallery.co.uk/index_files/swantheatre.htm