Patrons News, September 2016

Issue 01 / September 2016

PATR ONS

ARTIST CIRCLE PRIORIT Y BOOKING OPENS MONDAY 26 SEP TEMBER 10AM ONLINE AND PHONE – 01789 272234 GOLD PATRONS PRIORIT Y BOOKING OPENS MONDAY 26 SEP TEMBER 10AM ONLINE AND PHONE – 01789 272283 SILVER PATRONS PRIORIT Y BOOKING OPENS TUESDAY 27 SEP TEMBER 10AM ONLINE AND PHONE – 01789 272318 BRONZE PATRONS P RIORIT Y BOOKING OPENS THURSDAY 29 SEP TEMBER 10AM ONLINE AND PHONE – 01789 403438

Contents

Your new-look newsletter

02

A note from Gregory Doran

Page 3

Rome Season

Pages 4 and 5

Patrons’ Events Schedule

Pages 6 and 7

Showcase Day 2016 Review

Page 8

Discover More

Page 9

Creative Voice

Pages 10 and 11

Day to Day at the RSC

Page 12

Your Theatre

Page 13

Take Your Seat Plaques

Page 14

Open Understudy Rehearsal

Page 15

Stay In Touch

Page 16

– Find out more about our forthcoming season

– Your opportunity to get behind the scenes with a full calendar of special Patrons’ events

– Read about Showcase Day 2016 and how to book for 2017

– Discover more through insight sessions, directors talks and other events

– Read about Deputy Artistic Director Erica Whyman’s journey in her amazing project A Midsummer Night’s Dream: A Play for the Nation

– Some key facts about how we work and what we do

– Improving the Royal Shakespeare Theatre for the Rome Season – Comfortable seating with lumbar support

– An update on the improvements to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and the impact on Take Your Seat plaques

– Learn about changes to our understudy performances

– Bernadette Newman has been supporting the RSC for 50 years, read her story

A note from Gregory Doran

03

Introduction

Welcome to your new-look newsletter, I hope you enjoy the new format. 2016 has been an incredible year for us all and so much of what we achieve is because of you and your support. Your ongoing involvement is very much appreciated and, as we look ahead to our new season, I hope you will continue to feel part of life here at the RSC. During rehearsals for King Lear, in the wake of our departure from the European Union, it struck us how Shakespeare, 400 years after his death, unerringly speaks to the moment. King Lear is, after all, a play about the catastrophic effects of the division of a country, and the presence of our company as a sort of permanent invisible underbelly points to the ever-relevant theme of social injustice.

Now we turn our thoughts to 2017, and in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre Angus Jackson heads up our Rome Season of four of Shakespeare’s most thrillingly political plays. Highlights in the Swan Theatre season include the premiere of a new translation of one of my favourite Chinese classics, Snow in Midsummer, and Phil Porter’s Vice Versa, which irreverently plunders Plautus’ comedies. You will find more details in the coming pages and in the enclosed guide.

We cannot depart from 2016 without a final reminder about The Tempest, the most magical of Shakespeare’s plays. It demands spectacle and I don’t think the audience will have ever seen anything like our new production. Working in association with Intel and in collaboration with Imaginarium Studios, we will incorporate incredible new digital technology into a live performance. I hope you will come and experience the spectacle.

Artistic Director Royal Shakespeare Company

New Season

04

Stratford-upon-Avon, Summer 2017 2016, the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death has been an incredible year – it seemed as though the whole world wanted to come and celebrate our house playwright’s legacy.

Now we turn our thoughts to 2017, which is 2,000 years since the death of the Roman poet, Ovid, whose famous tales were a huge inspiration for Shakespeare and his contemporaries.

We mark this anniversary with four of Shakespeare’s most thrilling political plays in a Rome Season in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, with Angus Jackson as Season Director.

Meanwhile, our Swan Theatre premieres a number of new works. One of the first fruits of our cultural exchange with China – a new reimagining of Snow in Midsummer – is a haunting story of social injustice from the Chinese classical canon.

We follow this with a riotous comedy from acclaimed playwright Richard Bean (One Man, Two Guvnors). Set in Hull at the time of the Civil War,

The Hypocrite is a co-production with Hull Truck Theatre and is our contribution to Hull UK City of Culture 2017.

The Swan Theatre then journeys to Rome with Vice Versa, a new adaptation of Plautus’ comedies

by Phil Porter (The Christmas Truce 2014).

We mark 50 years since the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Britain with Oscar Wilde’s erotic tragedy, Salomé. We will reprise my production of Shakespeare’s epic poem, Venus and Adonis, based on Ovid. I am delighted to be working again with The Little Angel Theatre and their pupeteers for this beautiful piece.

Alongside all these productions, Erica Whyman is planning further festivals of new work in the Studio Theatre at The Other Place. More information will follow in future newsletters.

Booking for Coriolanus and Dido Queen of Carthage opens in early 2017.

I do hope you are able to join us in Stratford-upon-Avon, London or in your local cinema to celebrate Shakespeare’s lasting legacy.

Gregory Doran RSC Artistic Director

Gregory Doran and I started discussing a Rome Season a year ago. Since then, the politics, power play and forensic insight that Shakespeare brings to the table has been quoted almost daily to describe the cut-throat politics of the current government.

Each of the four plays – Julius Caesar, Antony and Cleopatra, Titus Andronicus and Coriolanus – share common themes of power and how this corrupts. They show the personal cost to those who rule and govern, as well as highlighting when politics spill into violence and revenge.

The productions will share a concept for the Royal Shakespeare Theatre stage which will adapt to the different demands of each play. We are making decisions on casting and where and how each play will be set, but I can promise you that they will all involve love, violence, death and political shenanigans of the highest order.

Angus Jackson Season Director

New Season

05

R OYA L S H A K E S P E A R E T H E AT R E

3 March – 9 September 2017 Live in Cinemas 26 April

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

BUY ALL 7 PRODUCTIONS AND SAVE 25% Buy tickets for Julius Caesar, Antony and Cleopatra, Titus Andronicus, Snow in Midsummer, The Hypocrite, Vice Versa and Salomé and receive 25% off the total cost of your booking.

This offer can be booked online, by telephone or in person.

Subject to availability.

Only valid for bookings which are paid for before 29 October 2016.

Only applicable to full price tickets in either Premium or A price band in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and A price in the Swan Theatre.

Cannot be combined with any other offer or discount.

25% discount will only be applied to same number of tickets selected for each performance.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

R OYA L S H A K E S P E A R E T H E AT R E

11 March – 7 September 2017 Live in Cinemas 24 May

Sculpture by Javier Marín www.javiermarin.mx

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

R OYA L S H A K E S P E A R E T H E AT R E

R OYA L S H A K E S P E A R E T H E AT R E

23 June – 2 September 2017 Live in Cinemas 9 August

Booking opens February 2017

Julius Caesar: Photo by Tara Moore. Image Courtesy of Kevin Francis Gray Studio. © 2016 | Antony and Cleopatra: Sculpture by Lionel Smit Titus Andronicus: Original photograph by Keith van-Loen / Alamy Stock Photo | Coriolanus: Sculpture by Javier Marín www.javiermarin.mx

Patron Event Schedule

Date / Time

06

Event

2016 Friday 23 September 6.30pm – 7.15pm

Doctor Faustus pre-show drinks, with insight from Assistant Director Josh Roche.

Wednesday 12 October 6.00pm – 10.30pm

King Lear Live from Stratford-upon-Avon pre-show reception and live broadcast.

Friday 14 October 6.00pm – 8.00pm

Gregory Doran and Sir Antony Sher In Conversation.

Friday 28 October 7.30pm – Midnight

Supporter’s Evening (SOLD OUT)

Saturday 29 October 9.00am – 11.00am

The Swan Wing exhibition, The Play’s The Thing, will be opened for a special preview for our patrons. Ticket includes light refreshments.

Friday 2 December 6.30pm – 7.15pm

Join us for pre-show drinks prior to the performance of Cymbeline.

A unique opportunity to hear from our Artistic Director and one of our finest lead actors.

We would like to offer a performance ticket to The Two Noble Kinsmen and post-show party ticket, with your fellow supporters and the Acting Company.

2017 Friday 20 January 6.30pm – 7.15pm

Love’s Labour’s Lost pre-show drinks, with insight from a member of the production’s creative team.

Wednesday 1 March 5.00pm – 11.00pm

Director Talk – Snow in Midsummer – pre-show onstage event, includes performance and a post-show nightcap with the Company.

Wednesday 26 April 6.00pm – 10.30pm

Julius Caesar Live from Stratford-upon-Avon pre-show reception and live broadcast.

Wednesday 24 May 6.00pm – 10.30pm

Antony & Cleopatra Live from Stratford-upon-Avon – pre-show reception and live broadcast.

Tuesday 20 June 12.00noon – 5.00pm

Open Understudy Rehearsal Insight – Vice Versa Insight event and performanc with afternoon tea with the Company.

Saturday 15 July 10.00am – 4.00pm

Showcase Day Further details will be confirmed closer to the time, but the event is now open for bookings.

Please note that as a registered charity some of these events are charged to cover costs. All timings for events are also subject to change.

Full details of these events are available online. Please visit your Patrons’ Room.

For further ticket information please contact Kate Perry, invitation@rsc.org.uk or 01789 403467

Patron Event Schedule

07 Ticket booking opens with Priority Booking excluding *

Location

Booking

London Barbican

Tickets: Free, with the purchase of a performance ticket.

Contact Kate Perry (see below).*

London One Aldwych Hotel

Tickets: Invitation only.

Stratford-upon-Avon at The Other Place

Tickets: Free – Contact Kate Perry on 01789 403467 or invitation@rsc.org.uk*

Stratford-upon-Avon at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Tickets: £90pp, for performance and post-show party.

Tickets are bookable online via your Patrons’ Room.

Stratford-upon-Avon

Patron Access

ALL PATRON LEVELS GOLD PATRON

ARTIST CIRCLE

ALL PATRON LEVELS

ALL PATRON LEVELS

Tickets: £10pp.

Tickets are bookable online via your Patrons’ Room.

ALL PATRON LEVELS

London Barbican

Tickets: Free, with the purchase of a performance ticket.

Contact Kate Perry (see below).*

ALL PATRON LEVELS

London Haymarket

Tickets: Free, with the purchase of a performance ticket.

Contact Kate Perry (see below).*

ALL PATRON LEVELS

Stratford-upon-Avon at the Swan Theatre

Tickets: £55pp.

Tickets bookable online via your Patrons’ Room.

SILVER PATRON

GOLD PATRON

London

Tickets: Invitation only.

GOLD PATRON

ARTIST CIRCLE

London

Tickets: Invitation only.

GOLD PATRON

ARTIST CIRCLE

Stratford-upon-Avon

Tickets: £20pp.

Tickets bookable online via your Patrons’ Room.

SILVER PATRON

GOLD PATRON

Stratford-upon-Avon at The Other Place

Tickets: £40pp.

Tickets are bookable online via your Patrons’ Room.

ALL PATRON LEVELS

All Gold Patrons are invited to join us for the press nights in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

All of our Artist Circle Supporters are invited for press nights in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, the Swan Theatre and London. Full details and dates are available on the website in your Patrons Room.

ARTIST CIRCLE

ARTIST CIRCLE

Showcase Day 2016 Review

08

A look back on Showcase Day 2016 Director of Screen Productions, on the origins of screening RSC performances and what is involved in our current Live from Stratford-upon-Avon programme.

We ended the day by inviting all eighty guests to write down their favourite memories of The Other Place in all of its incarnations, pinning them on the wall of the Studio Theatre to create a wonderful display of anecdotes – some of them poignant and some hilarious. These will shortly be available to view within your Patrons’ Room online.

“Showcase Day is always a joy. The RSC comes across as an inspiring place to work and it is wonderful to be part of that, even for only a day” The date for next year’s Showcase Day is Saturday 15 July 2017 and the event will open for booking at the same time as your Priority Booking dates. To book online please go to My RSC to access your Patrons’ Room and Patrons’ Events.

Alternatively, please contact Kate Perry on 01789 403467 or email invitation@rsc.org.uk

“I have really enjoyed it and love the way RSC is so welcoming to its supporters. Well done”

Photo by Andrew Macguire

Showcase Day 2016 brought together many exciting aspects of the work that the RSC undertakes whilst giving Patrons the opportunity to explore our brand new venue, The Other Place.

The day opened with a fascinating In Conversation with Executive Director Catherine Mallyon and Deputy Artistic Director Erica Whyman, who spent the morning sharing stories of their first encounters with the arts and the career pathways that eventually led them to the very top of the RSC. After lunch, we were treated to a panel discussion with our wonderful Hamlet company (with questions from guests), followed by a history lesson from John Wyver,

Discover More

09

Discover More

We know Patrons enjoy discovering more about the plays, the creative process and the creative team at the RSC. There are many ways to get closer to our programme including Director Talks, Debates, Unwrapped Events and our Open Understudy Rehearsals. All of these events are public events and can be booked online or through the Box Office. Ticket prices range from £5 to £10.

2016 12 November 11.30am – 12.30pm

Making a Scene – Shakespeare and Playwrights Today Ella Hickson

David Edgar talks to Ella Hickson (RSC playwright, Wendy & Peter Pan) about her favourite scenes from Shakespeare and how she finds inspiration for her work.

10.30am – 11.30am 3 December 10 December 17 December 11.00am – 12.15pm

King Lear’s Subjects Series of talks

A series of panel discussions that look at King Lear’s most loyal subjects, including current cast.

Barbican, London

The Fool – 19 November Cordelia – 3 December Kent – 10 December

Creating The Tempest Series of talks Stratford-upon-Avon

Bookable through the RSC Box Office or online.

Tickets: £5pp.

Stratford-upon-Avon 19 November 3 December 10 December

Public Event.

A series of panel discussions based around The Tempest and the collaborative process involving a unique blend of creative theatre practice and pioneering digital experimentation.

Creating The Tempest: A 21st Century Masque 3 December

Public Event.

Bookable through the RSC Box Office or online.

Tickets: £8pp.

Public Event.

Bookable through the RSC Box Office or online.

Tickets: £8pp.

Creating The Tempest: Embodying Ariel 10 December Creating The Tempest: Brave New Digital World 17 December

2017 Director Talks – Stratford-upon-Avon These pre-show, onstage events in Stratfordupon-Avon offer a chance to hear the Director in conversation. These are a fascinating insight into the creative process.

Friday 17 March – Julius Caesar Tuesday 21 March – Antony & Cleopatra Tuesday 4 April – The Hypocrite Wednesday 17 May – Vice Versa Wednesday 7 June – Salome Monday 3 July – Titus Andronicus

Public Event.

Unwrapped Events – Stratford-upon-Avon Join the Assistant Director for these productions and members of the Acting Company as they demonstrate some of the skills that go into making the productions.

Saturday Saturday Saturday Saturday Saturday

Public Event.

Open Understudy Rehearsals – Stratford-upon-Avon Our new open understudy rehearsals are rehearsals and on sale two weeks in advance with additional 24hr priority for Patrons and Members.

Tuesday 4 April – Julius Caesar Wednesday 12 April – Antony & Cleopatra Friday 30 June – Salome Friday 14 July – Titus Andronicus

Public Event.

Post-show Talks – Stratford-upon-Avon Stay on after the show for a free discussion with members of the Acting Company, and ask them questions.

Tuesday 11 April – The Hypocrite Wednesday 3 May – Antony and Cleopatra Wednesday 31 May – Julius Caesar Thursday 6 July – Vice Versa Tuesday 18 July – Salome

Public Events.

Shakespeare’s Rome – Stratford-upon-Avon A series of debates at The Other Place exploring the power dynamics of Rome as depicted by Shakespeare, through the lens of modern society. The panels will include directors and lead actors from the season, chaired by Angus Jackson.

Saturday 29 April – Julius Caesar Thursday 20 July – Titus Andronicus with Blanche McIntyre Friday 4 August – Antony and Cleopatra with Iqbal Khan

Public Event.

18 March – Snow in Midsummer 1 July – Salome 15 July – Julius Caesar 22 July – Vice Versa 12 August – Antony & Cleopatra

Bookable through your ticket hotline or online.

Tickets: £5pp.

Bookable through your ticket hotline or online.

Tickets: £5 pp.

Bookable through the RSC Box Office or online.

Tickets: £10pp.

Bookable through your ticket hotline or online.

Tickets: Free, with a performance ticket.

Bookable through the RSC Box Office or online.

Tickets: £8pp.

Creative Voice

10

across the UK, and a brave undertaking by the amateur actors to give up precious free time, to undertake training and preparation and to learn the latest connective technology so we could rehearse online.

I was hugely impressed with their dedication and flexibility, and by the generosity of my professional company, and we all learnt how to make the most of each group’s strengths whilst integrating them into the production.

Photo by Topher McGrillis

It was actually Gregory Doran’s idea to do A Midsummer Night’s Dream with amateur theatre companies around the country playing the Mechanicals, which in turn suggested the possibility of using school children to play Titania’s fairy train, and celebrating all the ways the RSC encourages people to take part in Shakespeare’s plays.

It took us 5 months to audition nearly 600 amateur actors. It was a tremendous privilege to see the wealth of talent and energy

Photo by Topher McGrillis

Erica Whyman takes a moment to reflect on A Midsummer Night’s Dream: A Play for the Nation

Creative Voice

11

with the children who were getting a bit giddy and noisy.

Lucy was about to say something What has been so rewarding to them when this young about this project is working man turned to his group and with this number of children said, “Listen, this is our last – 10 in every performance, chance. We have to focus!”. so 30 children every week We saw evidence of this from a local school. Some of all over the country – the the children came from very transformative power of making challenged backgrounds, and something as a team, that there were occasions when the requires everyone to bring their focus and discipline required, physical, emotional and mental and the time they spent with the capacity together; it really professional company, really matters just for that moment, transformed their behaviour. and that is a very rewarding There was a talented young man in Bradford who had been in experience for everyone. some trouble at school. On their last night, Lucy Ellinson, who played Puck, was backstage

Photo by Topher McGrillis

Photo by Ellie Kurttz

The Children

The Reception

Our Play for the Nation was an amazing opportunity to introduce new people to Shakespeare and to make sure they had an incredible night out.

Amateur theatre and schools have loyal, generous audiences who come to support their family and friends, but they don’t always Erica Whyman, Deputy Artistic Director, attend professional theatre with the same confidence or regularity. Royal Shakespeare Company

Day to Day at the RSC

12

The RSC – How we work Every single one of our productions begins life at our Stratford-upon-Avon workshops and theatres and we bring them to the widest possible audience through our touring, residencies, live broadcasts and online activity. So wherever you experience the RSC, you experience work made in Shakespeare’s hometown.

Our aim is to encourage everyone to enjoy a lifelong relationship with Shakespeare and live theatre. We produce an inspirational artistic programme each year, setting Shakespeare in context alongside the work of his contemporaries and today’s writers. We have trained generations of the very best theatre-makers and we continue to nurture the talent of the future.

In 2014 – 2015: ·· There were over 2,000 performances of 28 productions and co-productions ·· More people than ever before experieneced our work with over 1.8 million tickets bought ·· 530,000 children and young people were inspired through our education work across the UK, transforming their experiences of Shakespeare’s work in the classroom, in performance and online ·· We toured for 70 weeks, nationally and internationally ·· We broadcast live to cinemas in 17 countries

With £4 million to raise every year in voluntary income these successes are only possible with your continued loyalty and support. Thank you.

Photo by Topher McGrillis

Photo by Jamie Graham

Everyone at the RSC – from actors to armourers, musicians to technicians – plays a part in creating the world you see on stage.

Your Theatre

13

Your Theatre Some of the changes to note are: ·· The removal the centre aisle ·· Some additional rows of seating at the front and rear of the centre stalls block ·· The walkways will be moved slightly enabling some seats in the stalls to be re-aligned to face onto the stage which will improve the sightlines ·· We will take the opportunity to build in other elements of flexibility for the future to give further options to build a specific creative environment within the auditorium ·· We will renew some of the seating for wheelchair users, making the seats more flexible and easier to remove and replace, with minimum effort

Your Comfort Further to the changes taking place in the auditorium, we now have two styles of lumbar back supports available to borrow while watching a performance. This idea was initiated by one of our patrons (thank you Ms Sue Tipping) using expert physio advice

and a recognised supplier.

We are trialling these, so please let us know your feedback if you use one. They will be free to borrow on a first come first served basis from the cloakroom prior to each show and will be logged in and out.

Photo by Sara Beaumont

We are making some improvements to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre so that you and all our audience members have the very best experience every time you to see an RSC production.

In January 2017, at the end of The Tempest run, we will start work to reconfigure the auditorium for the Rome Season. The new configuration is in response to comments from you, our audience, and the improvements include better sight lines for more seats . The changes are designed to improve your experience and make you feel more connected to the performance.

We have included a leaflet explaining the changes to the RST seating plan which will prepare you for your Priority Booking.

Take Your Seat Plaques

14

“Take Your Seat� Plaques

Michele Cottiss Individual Giving Manager 01789 272283 michele.cottiss@rsc.org.uk

Photo by Gina Print

row (and maybe the number) of the seat having changed.

Only a very small number of seat plaques will be re-positioned, and we regret this unavoidable outcome of exciting staging decisions.

We will be in touch in early 2017 as the plans for the seat reconfiguration are finalised. All those impacted by this change will be fully informed. We are hugely appreciative of your patience and support.

Please do get in touch in the meantime, should you have any concerns.

Photo by Gina Print

Thank you to all of you who supported the transformation of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre by dedicating a seat plaque.

There are over 500 seat plaques in the theatre dedicated to friends, family and loved ones and used as a way of celebrating your love of your RSC. You will have read earlier in your newsletter about the reconfiguration of the auditorium for the Rome Season. This means there will be some changes to the stalls seating arrangements in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, which in turn will have some implications on the positioning of the seat plaques.

Be assured that our aim is to ensure that as many of your seat plaques will remain in their current locations, with only the

Open Understudy Rehearsal

Photo by Ellie Kurttz

15

Open Understudy Rehearsal We have always worked with our acting companies to have a full understudy programme and have regularly opened up understudy runs to our audiences.

For the 2017 season, we are rethinking the way we do this.

We are redesigning the run to become a public understudy rehearsal, taking the emphasis off a fully-realised performance.

This will be a rougher, less

polished presentation, but will give audiences a deeper insight into the rehearsal process and a truer account of our work.

This also supports the acting companies by reducing the extra rehearsal time required in a demanding schedule to showcase a fully realised performance as an understudy and reduces pressure on production staff at a very busy time.

The open understudy rehearsals will have a limited audience capacity. All dates are detailed our season guide and are bookable two weeks beforehand.

Patrons will have 24 hour Priority Booking, but we will keep you informed (by email) as to when your booking dates opens.

Stay In Touch

16

I think there is something very special about seeing a Shakespeare play at Stratford, the place where he grew up and the context of the earliest influences on him. I remember an actress

who was playing Gertrude saying once in an interview that the director had taken the cast to a place in the countryside near Stratford where there was ‘a willow aslant a brook’ and that this sight had a great influence on her delivery of the speech recounting the death of Ophelia.

I am lucky enough to have had my earliest experiences of Shakespeare performed at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. I can still remember our school performing country dances on the Bancroft Gardens to celebrate the four hundredth anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth in 1964.

Now we are celebrating the four hundredth anniversary of the great man’s death and I have my

own personal little anniversary, celebrating fifty years of attending the RST, which I loved from the very beginning. I love the re-designed RST even more.

One of my earliest memories is seeing As You Like It and of developing a schoolgirl crush on Michael Williams, who was playing Orlando. I saw him again shortly afterwards playing the very different part of the Fool to Lear played by Eric Porter (before his Forsyte Saga days).

Once whilst working in London, I went to a matinee of the RSC production of London Assurance.

It was like seeing a group of friends again and (for the only time in my life) I went to the stage door where Michael Williams was kind enough to talk to a stage-struck teenager!

Since I have retired I’ve been lucky enough to visit Stratford more often and as well as being a homecoming it is also like seeing friends. The RSC always feels like a welcoming family.

I’ve also enjoyed many of the

Photo by Andrew Macguire

50 years of Shakespeare

Bernadette Newman

Showcase Days, which offer a fascinating insight into the work of the Company behind the scenes. A workshop on the understudy policy led me to attend my first understudy performance and I was struck by the almost tangible love and support throughout the theatre for the understudies, and the generosity of the principals, who took on many of the minor roles to support their colleagues.

Bernadette Newman Bronze Patron

We would love to hear from you.

Please tell us what you think about our new newsletter. We want you to feel part of the RSC family and encourage you to let us know your RSC stories, or a particular event that you would love to share with other Patrons, and we will try and include them on this page in forth coming newsletters.

Get in touch Pete, Rosie and Michele at Queens Patrons’ lunch.

Individual Giving Team: Rosie Kew, Michele Cottiss and Pete Warman Tel: 01789 403470 Email: patron@rsc.org.uk