On Friday 20 August 2021, the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) will host Costume Day, a day-long festival takeover of the Bancroft Terrace and Gardens in the heart of Stratford-upon-Avon, celebrating the newly opened Costume Workshop and the RSC’s costume-making heritage, bringing it to life for locals and visitors alike. The day will include a series of free pop-up performances, workshops and family-friendly activities taking place across the town.
Highlights include:
- Behind the Seams – visitors are invited to join some of the teams from the RSC Costume Workshop in the Costume Day marquee, situated on the Bancroft Gardens. RSC costumes will be on display and visitors will be able to speak with the costume makers who created them, discovering the variety of skills and many techniques they use to produce our magnificent costumes for the stage.
- Makers’ Market – visitors are invited to discover local craftspeople from Stratford-upon-Avon and the surrounding area. These artists will be selling their wonderful creations and demonstrating their unique skills as they make their pieces at the Market along Waterside.
- Costume Craft – the RSC will provide the opportunity for visitors to try their hand at costume-making. Colouring, activity packs, crafts and a chance to have creations woven into a costume will all be on offer throughout the day to all ages and abilities.
- Story Boat – a chance to spend a summer’s afternoon on the RSC story boat, listening to tales of the people behind the scenes in the Costume Workshop and the creations they made. Voyages are running for free throughout the afternoon.
- Pop-up performance: Georgie the Knight and the Armour Too Bright – a joyful pop-up performance where audiences can join Georgie as they discover what it means to be a Knight (and how to really look the part). Each performance lasts approx. 25 mins, followed by a 25-minute craft workshop. All performances will be BSL interpreted.
- Music on the Bancroft Terrace – relax with a drink from the RSC Riverside Cafe and soak up the sights of the festival in the Bancroft Gardens and along Waterside whilst enjoying live music from great local talent.
- Mannequin Trail – A trail of beautifully costumed mannequins from the RSC Costume Department and the RSC Collection will be on display in shop windows all around town.
Costume Day will conclude the RSC’s summer programme of family activities, a series of free pop-up performances, interactive workshops and outdoor performances for families, running for four weeks starting this week, from Tuesday 27 July – Friday 20 August. These events will take place on the Bancroft Terrace and in the newly constructed Lydia & Manfred Gorvy Garden Theatre, situated in the Swan Gardens flanked by the River Avon.
SUMMER ACTIVITIES AT THE ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY
STRATFORD-UPON-AVON
TUESDAY 27 JULY – FRIDAY 20 AUGUST 2021
To book tickets call 01789 331111 or visit www.rsc.org.uk/families
Main Image by Sam Allard (c) RSC
