There could not be a better time to visit Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare’s birthplace and the home of the Royal Shakespeare Company, writes Lee Knights. This year marks the 450th anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth, while in two years’ time in 2016, the stage will be set again for the 400th anniversary of the Bard of Avon’s death.
Drawn by the chance to catch RSC veteran actor Antony Sher as Falstaff in Henry IV, Part II, my partner Mike and I booked a double room at the Arden Hotel over the spring Bank Holiday weekend.
The drive from south London, via the M25 and M40 peeling off at junction 15, was stress and jam free. Only twenty miles from Birmingham in the Midlands, with its airport, good train service and the motorway network, Stratford is within easy reach for most of us.
Bijou and compact
Choosing the Arden on the basis of location – literally only steps from the theatre – I was surprised by the scale of the hotel. It is bijou, pocket size. But what it lacks in size, it makes up for in personality and presentation – we got a warm welcome on arrival. Our room was not massive, but beautifully decorated, with a charming view of the knot garden.
First stop was a back-stage tour of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, re-opened after a £112.8 million facelift in 2010. Now, the theatre has a 1,000 seat auditorium and thrust stage, bringing audience and actors closer together.
With the play running for over 3 hours, an early dinner at the Arden was a must. For starters, I chose pan seared scallops with curried lentils. Vegetarian Mike opted for artisan bread with tapenade, a winning plate of fresh-baked rolls served piping hot in a warm bag. It was so good we had to come back for it again the following night.
For mains, I went for salted cod in Parma ham, with chorizo, puy lentils and cod cheek in crispy batter, as good as it sounds. My companion had mushroom and spinach pancakes, cleaning up the generous portion.
But the play is the thing. Shakespeare’s lovable scoundrel Sir John Falstaff came to life in Sher’s hands as a gouty, jelly bellied con man, playing the audience as much as he plays any of his other patsies. Jasper Britton plays the guilt ridden Henry IV. Delivering the familiar words “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown”, Britton came across as a stubbly, wayward Wallander, self flagellating and full of brooding self doubt.
Luxury
As we left, the rain bucketed down. It was a real touch of luxury to step straight from the theatre into the hotel for a nightcap and then to bed, to sleep perchance to dream of our next visit to Stratford.
Don’t leave Stratford without taking a sightseeing cruise on the Avon. We went with Bancroft Cruisers; tour guide Andy’s tale of the horrible history of Stratford was too funny to be missed.
The Arden Hotel, Waterside, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 6BA
www.theardenhotelstratford.com
Call: 01789 298682
www.rsc.org.uk Ticket Hotline: 0844 800 1110,
Email: ticketqueries@rsc.org.uk
Call: 01789 269669