Tuesday 29 July 2008

Stratford-upon-Avon-Shakespeare Center Library & Archive, Holy Trinity Church, Royal Shakespeare Company's 'Taming of the Shrew'- 7-18-08




We took a bus out to Stratford for a tour of the Shakespeare Centre Library & Archive. Our tour guides were Claire Maffioli, Deputy Head of Catalog, and Jo Wilding, from the Rare collection. We were first shown into the Catalog/Search room, which is located next to the Reading Room. Ms. Maffioli informed us about the details of the collection, explaining that it included sections that were once separate: Records, Library, Local Collection, and Shakespeare Collection. Local information includes items such as maps of Stratford, photos, historic documents, and genealogical information. The Shakespeare information includes collections of The Shakespeare Trust, the Royal Shakespeare Company's collection of production notes and performance programs, criticisms of the productions, prompt books, history of the plays performed by the company, and music used in the productions.

There are some more frequently used and common resources housed in the reading room, but the rest of the collection is contained downstairs in the basement, in closed strongrooms with temperature control, flood and fire protection, and much theft prevention. They have about 3,000 readers visit per year, but over 6,000 inquiries per year by email or telephone. Their patrons include school children, genealogy researchers, people researching real estate, and fans of Shakespearean actors. They have an online catalog, but it only contains things published since 2000. Anything before that is looked up in an old-fashioned card catalog.

I was surprised and saddened to find out that they are not government-funded, but rely on charity for funding and financial support. I feel that this endeavour is something that this country should really cherish and appreciate. The formats of items in the collection include photos, videos, books, periodicals, catalogs, production notes, and theatrical paperwork. They do rely on assistance from volunteers, which would be an excellent opportunity for a student such as myself (hmm, possible future plan). They send all of their Inter-Library Loan requests through the British Library in London. They have over 50,000 books, and subscribe to about 20 periodicals currently. They also participate in community outreach and tours.

We then were shown some amazing items from their rare books collection, thanks to Ms. Wilding. The most amazing item was one of Shakespeare's first folios published in 1623, which they have 3 of in their collection. We also saw a few other items: a 1619 2nd quarto of Midsummer Night's Dream, a 1597 medicinal plants book, a 1661 facsimile of Bottom's Midsummer Night's Dream play review, a playbill from a 1692 production of Faerie Queen, a 1716 copy of "Pyramus & Thisbe," a 1889 photo of Francis Benson, other 1889 photos from a Midsummer Night's Dream production at Swan Theatre, a 1550 Edward Hall book that could have been used as reference by William Shakespeare, a 1587 Hollingshead book, a 1603 pocket atlas, a 1572 map of London, a 1658 Topp's Bestiary, a 1951 Henry VI Angus McBain photo, and a 1879 poster for Much Ado About Nothing production. This visit was a definite highlight in my life.

I then saw Shakespeare's Birthplace, although I did not tour it. I did make it to the Holy Trinity Church where Shakespeare is buried, but the church had closed before we got there. We had a lovely walk along the Avon and then met at the Courtyard Theatre for a modern interpretation of "Taming of the Shrew" performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company. We got back into London late from a long day, but I was so content and fulfilled with the day and I know that it will be something I will always remember.

For more information about the library, homes, and theatrical productions in Shakespeare's Stratford-upon-Avon, please see: http://www.shakespeare.org.uk/

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