The Play's The Thing

Until Mon 1 Sep View Venues, Dates & Times

Discover more than 100 years of theatre-making magic.

Step inside and let your imagination fly as you discover more than 100 years of theatre-making magic.

Containing items from the RSC Collection, one of the most significant Shakespeare and theatre collections in the world, the free The Play's The Thing exhibition offers a unique insights into the history of theatre-making in Stratford-upon-Avon.

The Play's The Thing is located on the first floor in the Swan Wing of the Royal Shakespeare Company building. 

Free entry | Open every day from 12 midday, closing at 7pm (4pm on Sundays). 

No advance booking required, except for groups of 10+

For 2024/25 the exhibition has been co-curated with a number of local community organisations, including Coventry’s Positive Youth Foundation, Fred Winter Centre, ILEAP and Warwickshire Pride. The groups have shaped the exhibition by choosing which items they would like to see in it, including the costume of the Player Queen from Hamlet (2008) worn by Ryan Gage. 

The exhibition includes Beyond the Borders, a spoken word film by artist, musician, rapper and Coventry’s Poet laureate John Bernard, working with the RSC and Positive Youth Foundation, inspired by Tanika Gupta's play The Empress, that played in the Swan Theatre in 2023. 

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