Stratford-upon-Avon has had an air of familiarity since we arrived. There is a tone and atmosphere which reminds me of small-town America in some ways. If it weren’t for the historic tudor architecture everywhere, you could probably convince me that I was tucked into a small river town in Michigan, rather than just a few hours outside of London.
My first evening was filled with a good deal of exploring. Thus far, I’ve been surprised at how much of this already-tiny town is dedicated to green recreation space. The riverfront in the center of town is sandwiched between two wonderful parks, one with benches and fountains and the other a sprawling lawn with willows lining the waterfront. It’s such a picturesque scene, it’s difficult not to romanticize as the swans flock to each bank hoping for morsels. It seems that the people of Stratford are no strangers to leaning into the weekend, Friday evening at the park was full of picnics, drinking, and general shenanigans from the locals. I found myself climbing a tree with Ben, probably the first time I had shimmied up one since I started college. From the top, it was possible to look down the river to the footbridge and see the new Ferris Wheel towering over the park.
It is clear that the town is proud of its claim-to-fame as the birthplace of Shakespeare. It’s difficult to walk a block in town without finding a reference to him somewhere. I enjoyed seeing the house that he was born in, and also thought the visit to the site of his home later in life, where he eventually died, was worthwhile. Of course, it is easy to wish that such a significant site had never been torn down in the first place, but the gardens that occupy the site now give a great opportunity to contemplate Shakespeare’s contributions to the world.
I’m happy that this is where we’re wrapping up the trip. It feels like a soft close after a month of constant activity in London.
Theatre in London U of A 