Stratford-on-Avon,asweallknow,hasonlyoneindustry-WilliamShakespeare-buttherearetwodistinctlyseparateandincreasinglyhostilebranches.ThereistheRoyalShakespeareCompany(RSC),whichpresentssuperbproductionsoftheplaysattheShakespeareMemorialTheatreontheAvon.Andtherearethetownsfolkwholargelyliveoffthetouristswhocome,nottoseetheplays,buttolookatAnneHathaway’sCottage,Shakespeare’sbirthplaceandtheothersights.
TheworthyresidentsofStratforddoubtthatthetheatreaddsapennytotheirrevenue.TheyfranklydisliketheRSC’sactors,themwiththeirlonghairandbeardsandsandalsandnoisiness.It’salldeliciouslyironicwhenyouconsiderthatShakespeare,whoearnstheirliving,washimselfanactor(withabeard)anddidhisshareofnoise-making.?Thetouriststreamsarenotentirelyseparate.Thesightseerswhocomebybus-andoftentakeinWarwickCastleandBlenheimPalaceontheside–don’tusuallyseetheplays,andsomeofthemareevensurprisedtofindatheatreinStratford.However,theplaygoersdomanagealittlesight-seeingalongwiththeirplaygoing.Itistheplaygoers,theRSCcontends,whobringinmuchofthetown’srevenuebecausetheyspendthenight(someofthemfourorfivenights)pouringcashintothehotelsandrestaurants.Thesightseerscantakeineverythingandgetoutoftownbynightfall.?Thetownsfolkdon’tseeitthiswayandlocalcouncildoesnotcontributedirectlytothesubsidyoftheRoyalShakespeareCompany.Stratfordcriespoortraditionally.Neverthelesseveryhotelintownseemstobeaddinganewwingorcocktaillounge.Hiltonisbuildingitsownhotelthere,whichyoumaybesurewillbedecoratedwithHamletHamburgerBars,theLearLounge,theBanquoBanquetingRoom,andsoforth,andwillbeveryexpensive.?Anyway,thetownsfolkcan’tunderstandwhytheRoyalShakespeareCompanyneedsasubsidy.(Thetheatrehasbrokenattendancereco