【Stratford–on-Avon,asweallknow,hasonlyoneindustry—WilliamShakespeare—buttherearetwoclearlyseparateanddifferentbranches.ThereistheRoyalShakespeareCompany(RSC),whichp】
Stratford–on-Avon,asweallknow,hasonlyoneindustry—WilliamShakespeare—buttherearetwoclearlyseparateanddifferentbranches.ThereistheRoyalShakespeareCompany(RSC),whichpresentsexcellentproductionsoftheplaysattheShakespeareMemorialTheatreontheAvon.Andtherearetownsfolkwholargelyliveonthetouristswhocome,nottoseetheplay,buttolookatAnneHathaway’sCottage,Shakespeare’sbirthplaceandtheothersights.
ThetownsfolkofStratforddoubtthatthetheatreaddsapennytotheirincome.TheyfranklydisliketheRSCactors,thosewhowalkwithJonghairandbeardandgreatnoise.
Thetouriststreamarenotentirelyseparate.Thesightseers,whocomebybusandoftentakeinWarwickontheside,don’tusuallyseetheplays.AndsomeofthemareevensurprisedtofindatheatreinStratford.However,theplaygoersdomanagealittlesight-seeingalongwiththeirplay-going.Itistheplaygoers,theRSCdeclares,whobringinmuchofthetown’sincomebecausetheyspendthenight(someofthemfourorfivenights)pouringmoneyintohotelsandrestaurants.Thesightseerscantakeineverythingandgetoutoftownbynightfall.
Thetownsfolkdon’tseeitthiswayandlocalgovernmentdoesnotputawaysomemoneyfortheRSC.Stratfordcriespoortraditionally.Nevertheless,everyhotelintownseemstobeaddinganewwingoracocktailroom.Hiltonisbuildingitsownhotelthere,whichyouwillbesurewillbedecoratedwithHamburgerbars,dinnerroomsadsoforth,andwillbeveryexpensive.
Anyway,thetownsfolkcan’tunderstandwhytheRSCneedshelpfromthegovernment.Thetheatrehasbrokenattendancerecordsforthreeyearsinarow.Lastyear,its1,431seatswere94occupiedallyearlongandthisyeartheywilldobetter.Thereason,ofcourse,isthatcostshaverocketedandticketpriceshavestayedthesame.ItwouldbeashametoraisepricestoomuchbecauseitwoulddriveawaytheyoungpeoplewhoareStratford’smostattractivecustomers.Theycomeentirelyfortheplays,notthesights.Theyallseemtolookalike,thoughtheycomefr