【莎翁故鄉】皇家莎翁劇團 RSC - Part I @ il Giardino Romantico

因擴展工程暫時關閉的The Swan Theatre。
The Swan Theatre, undergoing redevelopment.

皇家莎士比亞劇團[RSC]是英國最知名的劇團之一。該劇團在1879年四月二十三日於莎士比亞紀念劇場呈現了他們的第一場莎士比亞劇：『無事生非』。目前RSC所經營共四間劇場：The Courtyard、The Swan、Royal Shakespeare和The Other Place。

目前所安排的表演皆安排在The Courtyard Theatre演出。該劇場於2006年七月開幕。是在其餘三間劇場擴張整修期間的臨時劇場。在2010年全新的劇場於原地重新開幕後，The Courtyard Theatre將預計被拆除。雖然若是能在更有歷史性的劇場看表演也不錯，不過能在the Courtyard Theartre成為歷史前在此看一齣戲，何嘗不是一種特別的經驗？

Royal Shakespeare Company is one of the most prestigious theatre companies in Britain. It staged its first production of 'Much Ado about Nothing', on the 23rd of April, 1879 in the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre. The RSC currently runs four theatres in Stratford: The Courtyard Theatre, The Swan Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, and the Other Place. Of these four theatres, three of them are temporarily closed for redevelopment.

The performances are now being staged in the Courtyard Theatre, opened in July 2006, as a temporary theatre.Once the redevelopment is complete in 2010, the Courtyard is to be dismantled. Although it would have been nice to get to see the theatres with longer history, I thought it was just as nice to catch a performance before the Courtyard Theatre becomes history.

暫時替代的The Courtyard Theatre。
The Courtyard Theatre.

這是我們來到Stratford的第一站。我們會這麼著急的要趕在下午2:30之前到達，是因為我們想要參加該劇院所提供的theatre tour。另外，當然也是要買當天晚上看戲的票。這次來，正好演出的是『冬天的故事』。故事描述一位愛吃醋的國王，因誤以為老婆與他人有一腿，而造成自己的家庭破碎。在發現自己犯下錯誤後，卻已經來不及了。幾十年來，一直以為老婆以及孩子是因自己無知的醋勁所殺害，卻在一連串的趣事發生後，才又與他們團聚。

售票員原本告之theatre tour名額以滿。但卻又告訴我們若等tour開始前與導遊協商一下，說不定可以通融。之後就請我們選當天晚上看戲的座位。與我同行的同學小我好幾歲，正好可以享有優惠。這天晚上的戲，他只花了區區£5！不過來到這，不花上一比小錢看這場戲，真的不能說你來過Stratford。所以這一切都是很值得的。

Theatre tour大約一小時半。導遊講的很詳細。除了後台區禁止拍照之外，導遊說其他地方歡迎大家拍照。一直不認為theatre tour會有多有趣的我，在參觀這個劇場之後學到了不少東西。最主要是因為了解了劇場運作的方式，更是讓我對戲劇演員多一分佩服。

This was our first stop at Stratford. We wanted to arrive here before 2:00pm, because we wished to arrive before the start of the theatre tour. Also, we wanted try and get tickets for the play that night. When we were there, they were putting on 'The Winter's Tale'. It is a story about a jealous king, who wrongly accuses his wife of adultery, which leads to the destruction of his family. When he realised he had made a mistake, it was already too late. For fifteen years, he believed he was responsible for the destruction of his family, and the lives of his wife and daughter. Fortunately, after a series of events, they reunite.

The lady at the box office first told us that the tour was full, but then suggested that we could wait to speak to the guide right before the tour begins, to see if we could 'tag along'. Of course, we also purchased our tickets for the play that night. My course mate, who was many-a-years younger than I am, got a great deal, paying only £5 for the play. I had to pay a lot more, but that was fine. After all, you can't really say you've been to Stratford, if you don't allow yourself the chance to see an RSC performance.

The tour took about an hour and a half. The guide was extremely detailed about the different aspects of the theatre. Other than the backstage, all other areas can be photographed. I never would've thought that a theatre tour would be so interesting. I think I've learned a lot from this one tour. It helped me understand how a performance is put together. This also allowed me to pay even greater respect to theatre performers.

The Courtyard Theatre內部。
Inside The Courtyard Theatre.

捕妝站。
Make-up station for actors.

鏡子下方的血跡，是在演出需要大量道具血方能造成效果的『凱薩大帝』所留下來的血跡。演員們跑來這，『補血』，在繼續上台演出。

雖然說該劇場再過不久將面臨拆除的命運。不過導遊也說，所有的材質都是可回收的。另外他們也正在考慮是否要保留這棟建築，來當作儲藏或是展覽空間。

The bloodstain under the mirror, is the mark left by the performance of 'Julius Caesar', in which an excessive amount of prop-blood is needed to create an effective theatrical spectacle. The actors would run to these stations, refill their blood, then get back on stage.

Although the theatre faces the fate of being dismantled, the guide did reassure us by stating that all the material used to build it, is recycleable. They are also considering actually keeping the theatre building for either storage or exhibition area.

'All the world's a stage,
And the men and women are merely players.'
- 'As You Like It' (Act II, Scene VII, lines 139)

『黑天鵝』pub。又名the Dirty Duck。
Black Swan, aka the Dirty Duck.

同樣暫時關閉中的皇家莎士比亞劇院。
The Royal Shakespeare Theatre closed temporarily for redevelopment.

擴展計畫藍圖。
Redevelopment plan for the new theatre.

以上資料來源：
Sources:
Wikipedia
RSC - A History

未完待續。。。
To be continued...