Stratford-upon-Avon Literary Festival

Celebrating its 13th year, the 2020 Literary Festival runs from May 9th – 17th.

Highlights include guest speakers Hilary Mantel, Rory Bremner, Lemn Sissay, Maggie O’Farrell, Michael Morpurgo and Joanna Trollope.

The full list of visiting authors is really impressive and there are also workshops and education events.

‘The Whip’ – a new play at the RSC

For the next few weeks the RSC features a new play by Juliet Gilkes Romero called The Whip’.  Reviews have been excellent from theatre critics and audiences alike.
Morality and corruption clash as the cost of the abolition of slavery becomes apparent at the beginning of the 19th century.  The personal and the political collide as powerful politicians decide on the right thing to do and its price.
The play runs in The Swan Theatre until March 21.

Comedy of Errors at the RSC

Shakespeare’s favourite comedy theme of mistaken identity is fully explored in this play featuring two sets of twins.
Comedian, actor and writer MILES JUPP makes his RSC debut as Antipholus of Syracuse.
The play opens on April 25 and runs until October 3.

The Boy in the Dress

David Walliams’ much loved story comes to the stage for the first time in a brand new musical.

Adapted by Mark Ravenhill and with new songs from Robbie Williams and Guy Chambers, it runs until March 8.

Reviews from both audience members and theatre critics have been excellent.

The Boy in the Dress

This year’s RSC family production is David Walliams’ heartwarming comedy brought to the stage by the great team of writer Mark Ravenhill, songwriters Robbie Williams and Guy Chambers and director Greg Doran.
Coming soon – find out what happens to Dennis who likes both football and dresses.  The play runs from 8 Nov to 8 Mar.

King John at the RSC

Shakespeare’s rarely performed tale of a nation in turmoil is in The Swan theatre until March 21.  Richard the Lionheart is dead and his brother John is king – the show has a modern setting, King John is played by a woman, there is jaunty dancing between the scenes, endless fashion parades and a huge food fight so it may be best to avoid sitting in the front row!

September Reviews

We had a busy month in September. Here are just a few extracts from our TripAdvisor reviews.

This is the perfect location to explore the history of this town and Ruth and Peter do an excellent job of making you feel at home. I have to say in all our travels this is the neatest, cleanest place we have ever stayed. 

We have stayed in Stratford several times before but this was easily the best guest house we have been to and as a bonus it had private parking.

So friendly and accommodating. Incredible evening stay. Then delicious breakfast – eggs and bacon were scrumptious with fruit and all the orange juice you could drink. 

We stayed here for 3 nights whilst visiting Stratford and Warwick. The location is perfect for Stratford just a 5 minute stroll into the centre. Ambleside is immaculate, the room was spotless.

September in Stratford upon Avon

September is a busy month in Stratford-upon-Avon.

The Stratford Music Festival is a nine day event covering a wide variety of events beginning on September 13th.

At the RSC the rarely performed Shakespeare play King John opens on September 21st.

In the town centre, the Stratford Food Festival will be celebrating all that’s good to eat and drink on September 21st and 22nd.

Shakespeare at the RSC

This summer is a great time of year to see several Shakespeare plays at the RSC.

Measure for Measure opens on June 28 and already playing are The Taming of the Shrew and As You Like It.

All three run until the end of August.