6 Oct 2014. <GB-ENG> Stratford-upon-Avon, Warw —
For most of the day, a bit of a nothing. The weather was not particularly good — cold and showery — but we went into Stratford for a little shopping.
But at the end of the day — Wow! First we went to a pub, the
Hole in the Wall, whose specialty is pizza. We had a delicious meal, went to a Gelateria with a selection of 32 flavours for an ice-cream to finish the meal, as we wandered across to the
Royal Shakespeare Theatre for a preview performance of
Love's Labours Won; or, Much Ado About Nothing. As for the title, we're not so sure —
Love's Labours Won is the famous "lost" play. The Royal Shakespeare Company has taken the punt that it was an alternative title for
Much Ado, but there's really no evidence to support this — although the plot of the play certainly fits in with their assumption.
They're doing this in part to pair it with
Love's Labours Lost, which will be performed in alternate performances throughout the season — which lasts a full six months!
The play is a delight, the performance stunning, and the set spectacular. The designers spent a lot of time at the National Trust property
Charlecote Park, a few miles down the road, and they have replicated parts of the place in miniature for the set.
The interior of the theatre itself is a modern interpretation of the Globe in size and layout, but it is a fully modern theatre. For a start, it's roofed in, and has a full lighting grid beneath the roof. And the folks in the stalls don't have to stand — it's very comfortable.
We had a wonderful night with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and then returned to the van. It was magic walking through Stratford, past Tudor buildings after having enjoyed a wonderful -- one could even say faultless -- production by the Royal Shakespeare Company!
Distance driven — today, 3 miles ( 5 km ); to date, 8,353 miles ( 13,443 km )
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