Photos: Michael Garlick , Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 Diliff, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Elliott Brown from Birmingham, United Kingdom, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo credits
Photos: Michael Garlick , Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 Diliff, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Elliott Brown from Birmingham, United Kingdom, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Inside the Swan Theatre's stage door
Your local guide
Daniel Osei
View profile
Highlights
- The stage door on Waterside
- A repertory theatre's daily schedule
- Where two theatre buildings meet
- The 1932 tower explained
- An actor's view of the building
About this tour
This session looks at the Royal Shakespeare Company's theatres from the outside, using a former company actor's eye for the working details a visitor would otherwise miss. It covers the stage door on Waterside and the Swan Theatre's distinctive tower, built inside the shell of an earlier building. It is about how the theatres actually function, not a performance review.
We start at the stage door with a look at the day's call sheet posted outside, then move around to the Swan Theatre exterior for the architectural story. I answer questions about rehearsal schedules and casting as they come up, since that is what most viewers ask about first. A short reading list on the company's history follows afterwards.
It suits theatre enthusiasts and anyone curious about how a repertory company is actually run day to day. It also works well paired with an evening performance booked separately.
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 stage door 21 min
You see the working stage door where actors arrive before a show, and I explain the daily schedule of a repertory theatre that runs several plays in the same week.
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Swan Theatre exterior 21 min
The camera moves to the tower built from the shell of the old Memorial Theatre, and I point out the brickwork line where the 1932 structure meets the 1986 rebuild inside it.
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Your questions 9 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 4 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Cream tea with scones and Bridge Street, 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 stage door and Swan Theatre exterior 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.
Do I need any background in art?
No. The guide explains what matters as you go, whatever you already know or do not.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We connect on a video call outside the stage door on Waterside, and I explain what the camera can and cannot show once performances are running.
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: Tue 10 Nov · 8 seats left From 24,00 €
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