The Royal Shakespeare Company has reported a terrific success from its foray in the South West of England, according to chief Adrian Noble. For the first time ever, the RSC embarked on a four-week residency (27 October - 22 November) in Plymouth, during which it presented a complete season of 11 plays. Figures just published reveal that the Company met all box-office targets for the run, pulling in more than £500,000 and an audience in excess of 40,000. The schedule included Shakespeare classics such as Hamlet and Much Ado About Nothing as well as lesser known works like Thomas Kyd's The Spanish Tragedy and Henrik Ibsen's Little Eyolf.

The Plymouth residency is part of the RSC's effort this year to extend its reach to as many parts of the country as possible. The full 11-play season was also staged in Newcastle in the North of the country. This, along with the Company's normal runs in Stratford and London and other touring productions, means that over 75% of the British population are within a mere 45 minute drive from an RSC production.

--By Terri Paddock
What's On Stage, London