ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY RETURNS TO THE BARBICAN IN 2019/20
27 ACTORS, 3 PLAYS, 1 PLAYWRIGHT
AS YOU LIKE IT, THE TAMING OF THE SHREW AND MEASURE FOR MEASURE TRANSFER TO THE BARBICAN FROM THE ROYAL SHAKESPEARE THEATRE IN STRATFORD-UPON-AVON
200 SEATS AT £10 OR LESS FOR EVERY PERFORMANCE | RSC BOX OFFICE: 01789 331111
Later this year, the three Shakespeare productions from the Royal Shakespeare Company’s (RSC) Summer 2019 Stratford season transfer to the Barbican from 26 October 2019. The Company features 27 actors, who each appear across two of the three productions:
As You Like It, directed by Kimberley Sykes: 26 October 2019 – 18 January 2020
The Taming of the Shrew, directed by Justin Audibert: 5 November 2019 – 18 January 2020
Measure for Measure, directed by Gregory Doran: 12 November 2019 – 16 January 2020
AS YOU LIKE IT
Following her roles in Dido, Queen of Carthage, Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra in 2017, Lucy Phelps plays Rosalind in Kimberley Sykes’ production of As You Like It which opens the season. She is joined by David Ajao as Orlando, whose previous productions for the RSC include The Merchant of Venice, Othello and Hecuba. There will be a Chilled Performance of As You Like It on Thursday 5 December, the first of its kind at the Barbican.
RSC Director of Design, Stephen Brimson Lewis designs the set for As You Like It with Bretta Gerecke designing both costumes and lighting in a first for the RSC. Music is composed by Tim Sutton, with sound by Jonathan Ruddick and movement by Ayse Tashkiran. Fights by Rachel Bown-Williams and Ruth Cooper-Brown. Puppetry Director and Co-Designer by Mervyn Millar.
For full cast and creative details: https://www.rsc.org.uk/as-you-like-it/cast-and-creatives
Production images – Download now
THE TAMING OF THE SHREW
Having last been at the RSC in 2017 to direct Snow in Midsummer in the Swan Theatre, Justin Audibert returns to direct a staging of The Taming of the Shrew, set in a world in which women hold the power. In a cast where women play roles written as men, and men play roles written as women, Claire Price plays Petruchia and Joseph Arkley plays Katherine.
The set for The Taming of the Shrew is designed by Stephen Brimson Lewis with costume design by Hannah Clark and lighting by Matt Peel. Music is composed by Ruth Chan, sound by Claire Windsor, and movement by Lucy Cullingford. Fights are by Rachel Bown-Williams and Ruth Cooper-Brown.
For full cast and creative details: https://www.rsc.org.uk/the-taming-of-the-shrew/cast-and-creatives
Production images – Download now
MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Last to join the repertoire will be Measure for Measure,directed by RSC Artistic Director, Gregory Doran. Sandy Grierson, who played the roles of Faustus and Mephistopheles in Maria Aberg’s 2016 production of Dr Faustus, plays Angelo, and following his performance as Antony in Antony and Cleopatra, Antony Byrne returns to play The Duke. They are joined by Lucy Phelps in the role of Isabella.
The set and costumes for Measure for Measure are designed by Stephen Brimson Lewis, with lighting by Simon Spencer. Music is composed by Paul Englishby. Sound is by Steven Atkinson, movement by Lucy Cullingford and fights are by Rachel Bown-Williams and Ruth Cooper-Brown.
Find full cast and creative details: https://www.rsc.org.uk/measure-for-measure/cast-and-creatives
The three productions will be going on tour to Salford in 2019, before visiting Canterbury, Plymouth, Nottingham, Newcastle upon Tyne and Blackpool in 2020.
Gregory Doran, RSC Artistic Director, said about the season:
“This season we have worked particularly hard to assemble a company which reflects the nation in ways it has never done before. We have introduced a 50/50 gender balanced ensemble across the entire season for the very first time and brought together talent from all corners of the United Kingdom, reflecting both the ethnic, geographical and cultural diversity of Britain today and those artists that are underrepresented on our stages. We want to create a season of work which places contemporary audiences at its heart, which speaks directly to the present moment. I’ve always been struck by Shakespeare’s use of the word ‘now’. It’s his favourite word. He starts plays with it (“Now is the winter of our discontent”), introduces choruses with it (‘Now entertain conjecture of a time”). “Now, now, very now”! It takes you right into the moment. The stories he tells may have been written down hundreds of years ago but they’re happening now, to all of us. I hope this season will express the Now, now, very now-ness of Shakespeare’s plays.”
Toni Racklin, Barbican Head of Theatre, added:
“We’re delighted to welcome the RSC back to the Barbican, its London home. We’re looking forward to presenting this exciting combination of plays for which the RSC has assembled a group of actors, representative of our nation and particularly relevant in a megacity like London. Rounding off the season our two organisations co-host ‘Towards a Creative Curriculum’ at the Barbican, an important all-day event for teachers designed to enhance arts education in schools. And for the first time the RSC brings a ‘chilled performance’ to our stage, which takes a welcoming approach to noise and movement in the auditorium, allowing even more audiences to experience Shakespeare.”
TOWARDS A CREATIVE CURRICULUM-A CONFERENCE FOR TEACHERS
Alongside the season, Barbican Guildhall Creative Learning and RSC Education will collaborate on a conference aimed at teachers from early years to Key Stage 3.
Towards a Creative Curriculum will focus on how arts and cultural learning support the new Ofsted framework. It will offer inspiring professional learning opportunities for teachers who want to develop and extend their knowledge and understanding of arts-based learning in the classroom. The conference will also provide a platform for sharing best practice from across the country as well as the latest research and evidence about the positive difference arts and cultural learning make to young people and school communities.
Towards a Creative Curriculum will support teachers to develop their knowledge about the ways in which arts and cultural learning can support children and young people to develop resilience and creativity and ultimately find their voice.
The conference will take place at the Barbican on Friday 10 January 2020.
SEASON ON SALE
Wednesday 8 May 2019 Announcement
Monday 13 May 2019 RSC Gold and Silver Patrons
Tuesday 14 May 2019 RSC Bronze Patrons
Monday 20 May 2019 RSC Members and Barbican Membership Plus
Thursday 23 May 2019 RSC Subscribers and Barbican Membership
Wednesday 29 May 2019 Public Booking
RSC PRESS NIGHTS AT THE BARBICAN
As You Like It directed by Kimberley Sykes
Press night: Tuesday 29 October 2019, 7pm
The Taming of the Shrew directed by Justin Audibert
Press night: Thursday 7 November 2019, 7pm
Measure for Measure directed by Gregory Doran
Press night: Thursday 14 November 2019, 7pm
RSC ASSISTED PERFORMANCES AT THE BARBICAN
Chilled performance
These performances welcome everyone and are particularly good for people who feel more at ease knowing they can go in and out of the auditorium during the show, like parents with babes in arms or people with dementia.
As You Like It – Thursday 5 December, 1.15pm
Performance with Integrated BSL Interpreter
As You Like It – Tuesday 7 January, 7.15pm
Measure for Measure – Tuesday 14 January, 7.15pm
Captioned and Audio Described performances
There will be a touch tour before each of the audio described performances.
Measure for Measure – Saturday 14 December, touch tour: 11.15 – 11.45am, show time: 1.15pm
The Taming of the Shrew – Tuesday 17 December, touch tour: 5.15 – 5.45pm, show time: 7.15pm
As You Like It – Saturday 28 December, touch tour: 11.15 – 11.45am, show time: 1.15pm
EVENTS
Weekend Labs: RSC
Director Justin Audibert leads an intensive practical weekend in response to his production of The Taming of the Shrew at the Barbican.
This Lab is suitable for students, emerging or mid-career actors, directors and theatre-makers, ages 18+.
Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 January 2020; includes a ticket to The Taming of the Shrew on Saturday evening.
Onstage Talk: The fool is the only one who speaks the truth
To what extent can comedy effect real change?
Saturday 9 November, 10.30am – 11.30am
Onstage Talk: Defend the right to offend?
Free speech can make for uncomfortable listening. Do we have an ethical responsibility to censor the problematic? Or is addressing difficult issues through culture effective in our recognising of right and wrong?
Saturday 23 November, 10.15am – 11.15am
Speakers for onstage talks are TBC.
Post Show Talk Back
The Taming of the Shrew, Monday 16 December (post evening show)
As You Like It, Tuesday 7 January (post evening show, BSL interpreted)
Measure for Measure, Tuesday 14 January (post evening show, BSL interpreted)
LIVE FROM STRATFORD-UPON-AVON SCREENINGS
Broadcasts of selected RSC works live from Stratford-upon-Avon to cinemas around the world and schools across the UK.
As You Like It was broadcast live from Stratford-upon-Avon on 17 April. Please check the RSC website for Encore and International showtimes.
The Taming of the Shrew will be broadcast Live from Stratford-upon-Avon on 5 June.
Measure for Measure will be broadcast Live from Stratford-upon-Avon on 31 July.
- END –
For further information on the RSC in London or press ticket requests, please contact Armani Ur-Rub at armani.ur-rub@rsc.org.uk or 0208 016 5016.
For press images, register free of charge at https://www.rsc.org.uk/press/press-resources/press-images
To contact the Barbican Box Office:
Call 020 7638 8891 or visit https://www.barbican.org.uk/
Social media at @RSCPress and @TheRSC
#RSCxLDN #RSCAsYou #RSCShrew #RSCMeasure
NOTES TO EDITORS:
The RSC Acting Companies are generously supported by THE GATSBY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION and THE KOVNER FOUNDATION
The work of the RSC Education Department is generously supported by PAUL HAMLYN FOUNDATION, THE ALLAN AND NESTA FERGUSON CHARITABLE TRUST, THE ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER FOUNDATION, THE POLONSKY FOUNDATION, THE ERNEST COOK TRUST and TAK ADVISORY LIMITED.
Live From Stratford-upon-Avon is generously supported by SIDNEY E. FRANK FOUNDATION.
The work of the RSC Literary Department is generously supported by THE DRUE AND H.J. HEINZ II CHARITABLE TRUST
BP support for UK Arts & Culture
In the UK, BP is a major supporter of the arts with a programme that spans over 50 years. BP’s investment in long term partnerships with the British Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, the Royal Opera House, and the Royal Shakespeare Company represent one of the most significant long-term corporate investments in UK arts and culture www.bp.com/arts
About the Barbican
A world-class arts and learning organisation, the Barbican pushes the boundaries of all major art forms including dance, film, music, theatre and visual arts. Its creative learning programme further underpins everything it does. Over 1.1 million people attend events annually, hundreds of artists and performers are featured, and more than 300 staff work onsite. The architecturally renowned centre opened in 1982 and comprises the Barbican Hall, the Barbican Theatre, The Pit, Cinemas One, Two and Three, Barbican Art Gallery, a second gallery The Curve, foyers and public spaces, a library, Lakeside Terrace, a glasshouse conservatory, conference facilities and three restaurants. The City of London Corporation is the founder and principal funder of the Barbican Centre.
The Barbican is home to Resident Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra; Associate Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra; Associate Ensembles the Academy of Ancient Music and Britten Sinfonia, Associate Producer Serious, and Artistic Partner Create. Our Artistic Associates include Boy Blue, Cheek by Jowl, Deborah Warner, Drum Works and Michael Clark Company. International Associates are Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam, New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Gewandhaus Orchestra Leipzig and Jazz at Lincoln Center.
About Trafalgar Releasing
Launching in 2010, Trafalgar Releasing (formerly operating as Picturehouse Entertainment) quickly established itself as a passionate, award-winning, market leader in global event distribution, working in partnership to unite audiences with entertainment and the arts.
Trafalgar Releasing distributes a total of more than 70 special events and films a year, around the world.
We work across music, theatre, high arts and feature films including Rammstein: Paris, directed by Jonas Åkerlund, Monty Python Live (mostly), The Rocky Horror Show Live, Roger Waters The Wall and Almeida Live: Richard III starring Ralph Fiennes and Vanessa Redgrave. We have worked with Nick Cave on two feature films; 20,000 Days on Earth (dir. Jane Pollard & Iain Forsyth) and One More Time With Feeling (dir. Andrew Dominik) as well as distributing award winning feature films like Paul Verhoeven’s Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe winner, Elle, starring Isabelle Huppert, BAFTA winner, The Imposter, The Lobster, starring Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz and Green Room with Patrick Stewart. www.trafalgar-releasing.com
The Royal Shakespeare Company creates theatre at its best, made in Stratford-upon-Avon and shared around the world. We produce an inspirational artistic programme each year, setting Shakespeare in context, alongside the work of his contemporaries and today’s writers.
Everyone at the RSC - from actors to armourers, musicians to technicians - plays a part in creating the world you see on stage. All our productions begin life at our Stratford 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 home town.
We have trained generations of the very best theatre makers and we continue to nurture the talent of the future. We encourage everyone to enjoy a lifelong relationship with Shakespeare and live theatre. We reach 530,000 children and young people annually through our education work, transforming their experiences in the classroom, in performance and online. Registered charity no. 212481 www.rsc.org.uk
Arts Council England is the national development body for arts and culture across England, working to enrich people’s lives. We support a range of activities across the arts, museums and libraries – from theatre to visual art, reading to dance, music to literature, and crafts to collections. Great art and culture inspires us, brings us together and teaches us about ourselves and the world around us. In short, it makes life better. Between 2018 and 2022, we will invest £1.45 billion of public money from government and an estimated £860 million from the National Lottery to help create these experiences for as many people as possible across the country. www.artscouncil.org.uk