Curtain up!

The tour starts at 2.30pm on Thursday 7 August, at the Arden Hotel, Stratford-upon-Avon.

The tour ends after breakfast on Monday 18 August,
at The Monague on the Gardens Hotel, London.

We meet our tour leader and manager in the Brasserie restaurant of the hotel for afternoon tea, before heading off on our orientation walking tour. Our relaxed stroll takes us from our hotel, along the River Avon to the Holy Trinity Church where we have our first encounter with The Bard as it is here that William Shakespeare was baptised, married and where he is buried, near his wife Anne. This evening we enjoy dinner at the Black Swan, also known as the Dirty Duck, a pub which dates back to the 15th century and whose proximity to the RSC theatres makes it a popular destination for actors and theatre goers. Overnight Stratford-upon-Avon (D)

After a lecture in our hotel introducing our upcoming performances, we visit the beautiful cottage which was once the family home of Anne Hathaway, who was to become Shakespeare’s wife. Built more than 500 years ago, much of the original cottage still survives, now surrounded by acres of cottage gardens and orchards redesigned in the early 20th century by horticulturist Ellen Willmott, incorporating plants inspired by Shakespeare’s plays. There is time to explore both cottage and gardens before returning to our hotel where there is time to relax before we head to the Swan Theatre for our evening performance. Overnight Stratford-upon-Avon (B)

Performance I
Venue: Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
Program: Shakespeare’s Play, to be advised

Beautifully situated on the banks of the River Avon, the history of Stratford dates back to Roman times but it is the town’s association with William Shakespeare which put it firmly on the map. This morning our walking tour takes us to the half-timbered 16th-century house believed to be Shakespeare’s Birthplace. Purchased through a public campaign supported by Charles Dickens in 1847, the house was fully restored and is now a comprehensive museum dedicated to Shakespeare’s life and times. We also visit the Guild Chapel, decorated with extraordinary medieval wall paintings, and the King Edward VI Grammar School, where Shakespeare was reputedly a student. After free time for an early lunch we make our way to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre for a matinee performance. Tonight we gather together again for dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight Stratford-upon-Avon (B, D)

Performance II
Venue: Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
Program: Shakespeare’s Play, to be advised

Following a relaxed morning we join our coach and depart for London. Our journey takes us through the picturesque English countryside, stopping enroute for lunch. Arriving in London midafternoon, we check in to our hotel, perfectly positioned near the West End theatre district, Covent Garden and the British Museum. There will be a light preshow dinner before our evening performance at the magnificent London County Hall on Southbank. Here we’ll step inside the courtroom for an immersive theatre experience of Agatha Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution. Lucy Bailey’s production of this classic thriller brings to life the intricate twists and turns of a legal battle where nothing is as it seems. The venue, with its grand architecture and historical ambiance, is set to add an extra layer of drama to the performances of Christie’s work, with Ben Galvin starring as Leonard Vole, opposite Isabel Della-Porta as Romaine Vole. Overnight London (B, D)

Performance III
Venue: County Hall, Southbank London
Program: Play, Agatha Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution

After a lecture in our hotel this morning, we head to London’s world-famous West End for a tour of one of the district’s most famous theatres, revealing a fascinating history that dates back over 350 years. Our walking tour then takes us through the theatre district itself, where posters outside the famous venues reveal a roll-call of some of the best-known names in theatre. After lunch at The Cross Keys, a traditional London pub with a long-list of famous patrons, we make our way to the National Portrait Gallery, home to more than 220,000 works from the 8th century to the present day. Our bespoke tour will focus on paintings and photographs of the theatre greats, followed by time to explore the gallery’s extensive collection at your own pace. Tonight, we reconvene for Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical masterpiece Evita, in a bold new adaptation by the visionary award-winning director Jamie Lloyd at the London Palladium. This rags to riches story of Argentina’s first lady Eva Peron features iconic musical numbers including Don’t Cry For Me Argentina, Oh What A Circus, Another Suitcase in Another Hall, and the Oscar-winning You Must Love Me. Oscar winner Ariana DeBose (West Side Story) is rumoured to be starring as Eva. Overnight London (B, L)

Performance IV
Venue: The London Palladium
Program: Musical, Tim Rice & Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita

After a morning at leisure we make our way to the iconic Shakespeare’s Globe for lunch at The Swan, enjoying stunning views of the Thames and St Paul’s. We then make our way along the river to London’s National Theatre for a special backstage tour of this renowned building home to three theatres. Going behind the scenes, we’ll discover how world-class productions are created here before experiencing the real thing in the Olivier Theatre with Tim Price’s drama, Nye, directed by Rufus Norris. The great Michael Sheen will revive his role as Aneurin ‘Nye’ Bevan – the firebrand Labour MP man who transformed Britain’s welfare state and founded the NHS. Billed as an ‘epic Welsh fantasia’, Nye is largely presented as the stream-of-consciousness of an older Bevan, who is a patient in one of his own hospitals. Overnight London (B, L)

Performance V
Venue: Olivier Theatre, National Theatre, South Bank
Program: Play, Tim Price’s NYE

Our day begins with a lecture on London’s famous West End before we meet our local guide and embark on a fashion walking tour through the heart of London. Our tour takes us past the beautiful shop fronts and luxury retailers of upmarket St James, including a number of sustainably minded British designers on fashionable Jermyn Street, before continuing along Savile Row, where tailors have been creating bespoke outfits for well-heeled Londoners since the late 18th century. Our tour concludes in the wealthy enclave of Mayfair with refreshments to follow at Fortnum and Mason’s – Picadilly’s glamorous upmarket department store, which has been a purveyor of goods to the Royal Family since 1910. The afternoon is at leisure before we meet again for tonight’s performance at West End’s Garrick Theatre. Here we take in a new production of George Bernard Shaw’s Mrs Warren’s Profession. One of Shaw’s most provocative plays (banned for 30 years by Lord Chamberlain!), it offers a critical look at the hypocrisy and corruption of the English class system. Directed by Dominic Cooke, this new revival stars four-time Olivier Award winner Imelda Staunton (The Crown), joined onstage by her real-life daughter Bessie Carter (Bridgerton) for the duo roles: businesswoman Kitty Warren and her Cambridge-educated daughter, Vivie. Overnight London (B)

Performance VI
Venue: Garrick Theatre, West End
Program: Play, George Bernard Shaw’s Mrs Warren’s Profession

Costume design plays its own important role in any theatrical production so after a relaxed start to the day we head to the V&A for a tour of the Museum’s Costume Gallery which houses a magnificent collection of stage costumes and accessories dating from the mid-18th century. After time for lunch, we make our way to Westminster Abbey for a tour of this fascinating site, a venue for joyful celebrations and poignant commemorations and a resting place for royalty and illustrious commoners alike. Returning to the hotel the evening is at leisure.
Overnight London (B)

Following a lecture in our hotel this morning, we enjoy a stroll through Green Park as we make our way to Buckingham Palace. On arrival, we take a tour through the carefully restored East Wing, only recently-reopened after five years of renovations, and explore the State Rooms of the palace. We then take in The Kings Gallery’s new exhibition, The Edwardians: Age of Elegance. Through this stunning collection of fashion, jewellery, painting and decorative art of the period, all drawn from the Royal Collections, we’ll learn about the lives and tastes of two of Britain’s most fashionable royal couples – King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, and King George V and Queen Mary – from their family lives and personal collecting to their glittering social circles and spectacular royal events. Following an afternoon at leisure, we reconvene in the evening for dinner and a performance at the award-winning Open-Air Theatre in lovely Regent’s Park. Established in 1932 this London summer institution offers first-class theatre performances in a unique setting. Overnight London (B, D)

Performance VII
Venue: Open-Air Theatre, Regent’s Park
Program: To be advised

This morning we discover the charm of Victorian London at the Charles Dickens Museum. Nestled in the heart of Bloomsbury, this elegant Georgian townhouse is where the celebrated author penned some of his most iconic works. From original manuscripts to personal belongings, the museum offers a unique glimpse into the life and times of Dickens, with more than 100,000 objects on show. After lunch, we then visit the unique Foundling Hospital, celebrating the story of Britain’s first home to abandoned children. Today, it’s a place where history, art and social justice converge, showcasing the power of compassion and creativity. Tonight, we enjoy a preshow supper at The Ivy, a West End must visit, before continuing the Dickensian tales at the Gielgud Theatre with Cameron Mackintosh’s new production of Lionel Bart’s iconic musical, Oliver! The cast includes Simon Lipkin as Fagin, Shanay Holmes as Nancy, Aaron Sidwell as Bill Sikes, Billy Jenkins as the Artful Dodger and Philip Franks as Mr Brownlow. Overnight London (B, D)

Performance VIII
Venue: Gielgud Theatre, West End
Performance: Play, Cameron Mackintosh’s Oliver!

We wrap up our lecture program this morning, then there is free time to explore London at leisure before we enjoy our final performance of the tour this afternoon at West End’s Gillian Lynne Theatre. Here we are transported to the 1950s Tokyo countryside, home to a fantastical world of forest spirits in the RSC’s mega-hit My Neighbour Totoro. This stunning stage adaptation of Hayao Miyazaki’s beloved 1988 animation sees two girls – Satsuki and Mei – befriend the forest spirit Totoro when their mother becomes ill. Adapted by Tom Morton-Smith (Oppenheimer) and directed by Phelim McDermott, it has been a fan favourite since its premiere in 2022, breaking the Barbican Centre box-office record for ticket sales in a single day and earning an impressive six Olivier awards, including for costume design, direction, and set design.  After the curtains close, we make our way back to our hotel for our farewell meal. Overnight London (B, D)

Performance IX
Venue: Gillian Lynne Theatre, West End, London
Program: Play, Studio Ghibli’s My Neighbour Totoro

The tour ends this morning after breakfast. Please consult
your individual travel documents for your ongoing journey. (B)