The Taming of the Shrew and The Tamer Tamed

The RSC

Most RSC productions originate in Stratford-Upon-Avon and play in repertoire over a number of months in either the Royal Shakespeare Theatre (which has 1412 seats) or the Swan Theatre, a more intimate auditorium with 432 seats.

Residencies
Since 1977 productions have transferred from Stratford to Newcastle. Since 1997 the RSC has also had a home in Plymouth. Productions almost invariably also play in London. Some productions tour nationally or internationally. The RSC currently has a five-year relationship with the University of Michigan in the USA.

London
Instead of a six month 'London Season', the RSC will perform in the UK capital throughout the year in a range of different theatres. The Company will continue to perform in its old home, the Barbican Theatre, but will no longer be the resident theatre company at the venue. The RSC will work with a much wider range of London venues matched appropriately to shows.

Touring
In a typical year a range of RSC productions will visit more than 30 different towns and cities. In addition to touring to established theatres, for over twenty years the RSC has also toured a mobile auditorium to smaller towns creating a state of the art theatre in sports halls and leisure centres.

The Artistic Director
The RSC is directed by an Executive Management team, which includes Michael Boyd as Artistic Director.

Michael was an Associate Director of the RSC since 1996, working alongside Michael Attenborough (Principal Associate Director, until July 2002) and two other Associate Directors Gregory Doran and Steven Pimlott (until May 2002). In 2001 he won the Olivier Award for Best Director for his productions of Henry VI, I.II,III and Richard III, part of the RSC's This England: The Histories season.

Music at the RSC
Kate Andrew is Music Manager. Here she describes the wide range of music used in RSC productions.

The amount of music within productions varies greatly. It can range from scene-change music and songs and dances, to large-scale musicals. Whenever possible music is played live onstage, on auditorium balconies, in the backstage studio or in the orchestra pit for larger shows. The RSC has a full-time core group of musicians that is supplemented by freelance players as and when needed.

The Music Department ensures the smooth running of all administrative and practical aspects of the music used in all RSC productions and venues. This includes contracting composers, booking and contracting players, budgeting, handling union matters and performance rights issues. We also employ copyists, rehearsal pianists and any other professionals needed to help produce the music.

The RSC own a vast array of instruments that can be used by the musicians or occasionally by the actors as props. Some music scores will utilise standard western orchestral instruments and players, others can be based on folk and ethnic instruments. Instruments can be sourced from all over the world as we try to fulfil our composer’s wishes. These have recently included Romanian Cymbaloms, a Javanese Gamelan, and Goatskin Bagpipes from the Middle East.

Production design
The RSC employs freelance designers and costume supervisors. Sets, props, costumes, hats, wigs and make-up are primarily created in-house. There are large workshops on the outskirts of Stratford where sets and props are built and painted. The Wigs and Make-up Department is situated in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. The Production Wardrobes are also in the town.

Roughly twenty weeks before a play opens, the set designer will give the workshops a model box of the set. The model box is a three-dimensional miniature version of the set with all scenery and props sized down on a scale of 1:25.

The designer will start to have discussions with the construction manager and the production manager. Because the RSC runs a repertory system, consideration must to be given to the ways in which designs will fit in with the rest of the season’s repertoire. Since many productions now play in a variety of theatres at home and abroad, careful thought must be given to how the set will fit in to other venues.

Building and painting the set
The construction manager will work with scenic draughtsmen in the Drawing Office to interpret the designer’s vision and produce detailed drawings for the Scenic Workshop of how the set is to be built. Some of the scenery is made in-house and some by outside companies. Once the sets have been built, they will be painted in the Paint Shop.

The Production Wardrobes are responsible for most of the items that will appear on an actor. The Production Wardrobe section is made up of different departments, including Men’s and Women’s Costumes, Dyeing, Hats, Boots and Armour.

At the beginning of a season the production wardrobes will take the measurements of the acting company. These measurements are taken in great detail and include such things as wrist size and finger lengths.

fabric
Before rehearsals begin, the production’s designer may have initial discussions with the costume supervisor who will oversee the buying of fabrics and the making of costumes. At the same time the designer will give the production wardrobes ideas for costumes, hats, wigs, armour and so forth.

The costume supervisor will now start finding samples of material for the costumes. Choices are made and the materials are bought. Some fabrics will be dyed to achieve the right colour. Others will go straight to the Costume Departments.

From the drawings that the designer has provided the Costume Department will create patterns and start making the costumes.

During the rehearsal period, actors have discussions with the relevant people about their costumes, wigs, armour and other requirements. Later, they will be called in for fittings. Make-up and special stage effects will start to be explored.

wigs and make-up
The majority of wigs are created in-house as are specific make-up effects such as wounds, scars, black eyes, etc. Stage blood has to be bought in and is very expensive. It is made from glucose and food colouring and can be thickened with powder or darkened with treacle. Rice Krispies can be added to add texture to particularly gory wounds...


			Most RSC productions originate in Stratford-Upon-Avon and play in repertoire over a number of months in either the Royal Shakespeare Theatre (which has 1412 seats) or the Swan Theatre, a more intimate auditorium with 432 seats. Since 1977 productions have transferred from Stratford to Newcastle. Since 1997 the RSC has also had a home in Plymouth. Productions almost invariably also play in London. Some productions tour nationally or internationally. The RSC currently has a five-year relationship with the University of Michigan in the USA. Instead of a six month 'London Season', the RSC will perform in the UK capital throughout the year in a range of different theatres. The Company will continue to perform in its old home, the Barbican Theatre, but will no longer be the resident theatre company at the venue. The RSC will work with a much wider range of London venues matched appropriately to shows. In a typical year a range of RSC productions will visit more than 30 different towns and cities. In addition to touring to established theatres, for over twenty years the RSC has also toured a mobile auditorium to smaller towns creating a state of the art theatre in sports halls and leisure centres. The RSC is directed by an Executive Management team, which includes Michael Boyd as Artistic Director. Michael was an Associate Director of the RSC since 1996, working alongside Michael Attenborough (Principal Associate Director, until July 2002) and two other Associate Directors Gregory Doran and Steven Pimlott (until May 2002). In 2001 he won the Olivier Award for Best Director for his productions of Henry VI, I.II,III and Richard III, part of the RSC's This England: The Histories season. Kate Andrew is Music Manager. Here she describes the wide range of music used in RSC productions. The amount of music within productions varies greatly. It can range from scene-change music and songs and dances, to large-scale musicals. Whenever possible music is played live onstage, on auditorium balconies, in the backstage studio or in the orchestra pit for larger shows. The RSC has a full-time core group of musicians that is supplemented by freelance players as and when needed. The Music Department ensures the smooth running of all administrative and practical aspects of the music used in all RSC productions and venues. This includes contracting composers, booking and contracting players, budgeting, handling union matters and performance rights issues. We also employ copyists, rehearsal pianists and any other professionals needed to help produce the music. The RSC own a vast array of instruments that can be used by the musicians or occasionally by the actors as props. Some music scores will utilise standard western orchestral instruments and players, others can be based on folk and ethnic instruments. Instruments can be sourced from all over the world as we try to fulfil our composer’s wishes. These have recently included Romanian Cymbaloms, a Javanese Gamelan, and Goatskin Bagpipes from the Middle East. The RSC employs freelance designers and costume supervisors. Sets, props, costumes, hats, wigs and make-up are primarily created in-house. There are large workshops on the outskirts of Stratford where sets and props are built and painted. The Wigs and Make-up Department is situated in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. The Production Wardrobes are also in the town. Roughly twenty weeks before a play opens, the set designer will give the workshops a model box of the set. The model box is a three-dimensional miniature version of the set with all scenery and props sized down on a scale of 1:25. The designer will start to have discussions with the construction manager and the production manager. Because the RSC runs a repertory system, consideration must to be given to the ways in which designs will fit in with the rest of the season’s repertoire. Since many productions now play in a variety of theatres at home and abroad, careful thought must be given to how the set will fit in to other venues. The construction manager will work with scenic draughtsmen in the Drawing Office to interpret the designer’s vision and produce detailed drawings for the Scenic Workshop of how the set is to be built. Some of the scenery is made in-house and some by outside companies. Once the sets have been built, they will be painted in the Paint Shop. The Production Wardrobes are responsible for most of the items that will appear on an actor. The Production Wardrobe section is made up of different departments, including Men’s and Women’s Costumes, Dyeing, Hats, Boots and Armour. At the beginning of a season the production wardrobes will take the measurements of the acting company. These measurements are taken in great detail and include such things as wrist size and finger lengths. Before rehearsals begin, the production’s designer may have initial discussions with the costume supervisor who will oversee the buying of fabrics and the making of costumes. At the same time the designer will give the production wardrobes ideas for costumes, hats, wigs, armour and so forth. The costume supervisor will now start finding samples of material for the costumes. Choices are made and the materials are bought. Some fabrics will be dyed to achieve the right colour. Others will go straight to the Costume Departments. From the drawings that the designer has provided the Costume Department will create patterns and start making the costumes. During the rehearsal period, actors have discussions with the relevant people about their costumes, wigs, armour and other requirements. Later, they will be called in for fittings. Make-up and special stage effects will start to be explored. The majority of wigs are created in-house as are specific make-up effects such as wounds, scars, black eyes, etc. Stage blood has to be bought in and is very expensive. It is made from glucose and food colouring and can be thickened with powder or darkened with treacle. Rice Krispies can be added to add texture to particularly gory wounds...