THE RSC CELEBRATES HM THE QUEEN’S PLATINUM JUBILEE IN STRATFORD-UPON-AVON
The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) will celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of its Patron, Her Majesty The Queen, between Wednesday 1 – Sunday 5 June. There will be something for the entire family, including an in-person exhibition and, following a call out for submissions, an online exhibition, both featuring memories of HM The Queen.
On Saturday 4 June, the RSC will join in Stratford-upon-Avon’s celebratory Picnic in the Park, whilst offering quieter activities in the Dell Forest Garden located by Holy Trinity Church. Between Thursday 2 – Saturday 4 June, the RSC’s iconic Theatre Tower will be lit red, white and blue. And on Sunday 5 June the RSC’s Rooftop Restaurant will offer a special Jubilee Afternoon Tea.
WEDNESDAY 1 AND THURSDAY 2 JUNE
Family Workshops
The Dell Forest Garden, 2 – 4pm
Free, no booking required, suitable for all ages
Located by Holy Trinity Church on banks of the River Avon, The Dell Forest Garden is a quiet outdoor space. Join us there to discover how we can help the environment and the environment can help us. With opportunities to take part in citizen science, writing activities, and environmentally friendly crafts, everyone can take time to enjoy the gardens and find out about how we created the space and how you can get involved in future projects in The Dell Forest Garden.
FRIDAY 3 JUNE
Memories of Her Majesty
Stratford-upon-Avon Town Hall, 10am – 4pm
Free, no booking required, suitable for all ages
Working with Stratford community groups, the RSC and Shakespeare Birthplace Trust (SBT) present a colourful and evocative exhibition, showing how HM The Queen’s reign has brought families, friends and the people of Stratford-upon-Avon together. The exhibition will include photographs and specially selected items from the SBT and RSC collections that will be on display for the very first time.
Memories of Her Majesty – online
The RSC is also asking anyone to share their memories of HM The Queen for an online gallery. People can submit photos, videos and written stories, maybe of a time when HM The Queen was in Stratford, for example when she opened the redeveloped Royal Shakespeare Theatre in 2011. People can submit their memories or make enquiries via [email protected] by 16 May.
The gallery is due to launch at 10am on Thursday 2 June.
SATURDAY 4 JUNE
Picnic in the Park
Bancroft Gardens, 2 – 6pm
The RSC will be joining in the town’s celebration, ‘Stratford-upon-Avon’s Platinum Jubilee Festival’ over the bank holiday weekend. On Saturday, there will be a Picnic in the Park for families on the Bancroft Gardens where the RSC will offer family activities including flag making and memory making crafts. An outdoor temporary display will also give people the chance to find out more about HM The Queen’s visits to the theatre and Stratford-upon- Avon.
Between 2-4pm, to complement Picnic in the Park, the RSC will host a relaxed and accessible picnic in The Dell Forest Gardens (located on the banks of the Avon by Holy Trinity Church) for those who prefer a more relaxed atmosphere and may find the busyness of the Bancroft Gardens potentially overwhelming. Activities here include a scent garden featuring plants and herbs from Shakespeare’s plays.
SUNDAY 5 JUNE
The RSC will also be offering a special Jubilee Afternoon Tea in its Rooftop Restaurant on Sunday 5 June between 12.15-3.30pm. It will feature a range of seasonal savoury and sweet delicacies, including Scone with clotted cream and strawberry preserve; Royal Swan filled with White Chocolate mousse; Passion fruit syllabub; Raspberry Toad Stool; Royal Crown Strawberry Tartlets; and Pistachio Macaroons. Cost per person: £24.95, or £29.95 (with a glass of Prosecco) or £34.95 (with a glass of Champagne). Booking for Afternoon Tea: www.rsc.org.uk/rooftop-restaurant or 01789 403449.