Royal Shakespeare Company is an English theater organization dedicated to presenting the plays of William Shakespeare and other playwrights of his time, modern classical dramas, and new works. The company, also known as the RSC, performs at its own theater at Stratford-upon-Avon, England, Shakespeare’s birthplace. The company also stages plays in London. It ranks among the leading theater ensembles in the world.
The RSC was established in its present form in 1961, but its roots go back to 1879. In that year, the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre opened in Stratford as the site for productions of Shakespeare’s plays. An annual festival of Shakespeare’s dramas began in 1886. The theater burned down in 1926, and the present structure was completed in 1932.
In 1961, director Peter Hall assumed artistic control of the theater, which was renamed the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. Hall established the Royal Shakespeare Company that year as the resident company of actors for the theater.
The RSC performs in three theaters in Stratford. It presents a variety of plays but remains faithful to its tradition of staging new interpretations of Shakespeare. Many of the best-known British actors and directors have worked in the RSC.
