Photos: Diliff, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Michael Garlick , Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 DeFacto, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo credits
Photos: Diliff, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Michael Garlick , Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 DeFacto, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Last orders at the Dirty Duck
Your local guide
Daniel Osei
View profile
Highlights
- The after-curtain crowd on Waterside
- The pub with two names explained
- A gathering spot for company actors
- The street's evening rhythm
- Life after the show ends
About this tour
This session shows Stratford after dark, once the evening performance at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre has let out and Waterside fills with people. It centres on the pub known locally as the Dirty Duck, a fixture of the theatre crowd for decades, seen from outside on the street. It is a look at the town's after-hours character rather than the daytime museum version.
We start with the crowd on Waterside as the theatre empties, then move along to the pub frontage for the story behind its two names. Live questions usually turn to which actors have been spotted there over the years, and I answer what I know from my own time with the company. I close with a short note on how late the street usually stays busy.
It suits evening viewers curious about the theatre crowd's own social spot. It also works well as a short follow-on for anyone who has already booked a daytime theatre session.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 5 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Stratford-upon-Avon before heading out.
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Waterside after curtain 15 min
The camera catches the crowd spilling out of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre after the evening show, and I explain how the timing of the last bus and the last ferry shapes the street's rhythm.
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The Black Swan frontage 15 min
Outside the pub known locally as the Dirty Duck, I point out the painted sign showing both names and explain why company actors have gathered here after performances for generations.
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Your questions 7 min
Time to ask anything about Stratford-upon-Avon: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 3 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Ploughman's lunch and Waterside, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in London time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 8 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Stratford-upon-Avon, showing you Waterside after curtain and The Black Swan frontage live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Is this suitable if I do not drink?
Yes. Say so when you book and the guide will focus on the atmosphere and venues rather than the drinks list.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We connect on a video call from Waterside once the evening performance lets out, when the street is at its liveliest.
Times shown in London time (GMT)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Next: Fri 30 Oct · 8 seats left From 18,00 €
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