Stratford-on-Avon, as we all know, has only one industry—William Shakespeare—but there are two distinctly separate and increasingly hostile branches. There is the Royal Shakespeare Company (ASC), which presents superb productions of the plays at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre on the Avon. And there are the townsfolk who largely live off the tourists who come, not to see the plays, but to look at Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, Shakespeare’s birthplace and the other sights.
The worthy residents of Stratford doubt that the theatre adds a penny to their revenue. They frankly dislike the RSC’s actors, them with their long hair and beards and sandals and noisiness. It’s all deliciously ironic when you consider that Shakespeare, who earns their living, was himself an actor (with a beard) and did his share of noise-making.
The tourist streams are not entirely separate. The sightseers who come by bus- and often take in Warwick Castle and Blenheim Palace on the side—don’t usually see the plays, and some of them are even surprised to find a theatre in Stratford. However, the playgoers do manage a little sight-seeing along with their playgoing. It is the playgoers, the ESC contends, who bring in much of the town’s revenue because they spend the night (some of them four or five nights) pouring cash into the hotels and restaurants. The sightseers can take in everything and get out of town by nightfall.
The townsfolk don’t see it this way and local council does not contribute directly to the subsidy of the Royal Shakespeare Company. Stratford cries poor traditionally. Nevertheless every hotel in town seems to be adding a new wing or cocktail lounge. Hilton is building its own hotel there, which you may be sure will be decorated with Hamlet Hamburger Bars, the Lear Lounge, the Banquo Banqueting Room, and so forth, and will be very expensive.
Anyway, the townsfolk can’t understand why the Royal Shakespeare Company needs a subsidy. (The theatre has broken attendance records for three years in a row. Last year its 1,431 seats were 94 percent occupied all year long and this year they’ll do better.) The reason, of course, is that costs have rocketed and ticket prices have stayed low.
It would be a shame to raise prices too much because it would drive away the young people who are Stratford’s most attractive clientele. They come entirely for the plays, not the sights. They all seem to look alike (though they come from all over)---lean, pointed, dedicated faces, wearing jeans and sandals, eating their buns and bedding down for the night on the flagstones outside the theatre to buy the 20 seats and 80 standing—room tickets held for the sleepers and sold to them when the box office opens at 10:30 a.m.
Stratford 的值得的居民怀疑, 剧院增加一个便士来他们的收支。 他们坦率地烦恶RSC..s 演员, 他们与他们长的头发和胡子和凉鞋和noisiness 。 It..s 所有可口地反语当您考虑那莎士比亚, 谁赢得他们的生活, 是他自己演员(与胡子) 并且做了他的份额噪声做。
旅游小河不是整个地分开的。 获得公共汽车和经常采取在Warwick 城堡并且Blenheim 宫殿在side..don..t 通常看戏剧的观光者, 并且有些甚而惊奇发现一个剧院在Stratford 。 但是, playgoers 处理一点观光与他们playgoing 一起。 这是playgoers, ESC 角逐, 谁带来许多town..s 收支因为他们花费夜(有些四或五夜) 倾吐的现金入旅馆和餐馆。 观光者能采取在一切和离开镇由黄昏。
市民don..t 看见它这个样和地方理事会直接地对Royal 不贡献Shakespeare ・Company 的补贴。 Stratford 传统上哭泣贫寒。 然而每个旅馆在镇里似乎增加一个新翼或鸡尾酒休息室。 Hilton 修建它自己的旅馆那里, 哪些您可以是肯定的用哈姆雷特汉堡包酒吧将装饰, Lear 休息室, Banquo 宴会厅, 等等, 并且将是非常昂贵的。
无论如何, 市民can..t 了解为什么Royal Shakespeare ・Company 需要补贴。 (剧院连续有残破的出勤纪录三年。 它的1,431 个位子去年是百分之94 整年被占领并且they..ll 今年改善。) 原因, 当然, 是, 费用迅速上升了并且票价格停留了降低。
这会是羞辱提高价格太多因为它会驾驶是Stratford..s 多数可爱顾客的青年人。 他们整个地来为戏剧, 不是视域。 他们全都似乎看(虽然他们来自所有over) 倾斜, 针对性, 热忱的面孔, 佩带的牛仔裤和凉鞋, 吃他们的小圆面包和卧具下来为夜在flagstones 在剧院之外买20 个位子和80 张standing..room 票举行了为睡眠者和卖了对他们当票房打开在10:30 a 。m 。