Client: Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
Designer: Real Studios
Size: 300 sq m
Duration: Six months
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To be or not to be involved in a uniquely sensitive project was the question for Real Studios when deciding whether or not to pitch for the design of a new exhibition at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in Stratford-upon-Avon. The planned Famous Beyond Words exhibition aimed to do nothing less than bring the reality of the great playwright’s life and work home to the crowds of expectant visitors who flock to what is for many a place of pilgrimage. For thousands of people it is a once-in-a-lifetime trip.
A display of mementos set against words and phrases coined by Shakespeare. Photo Credit: Real Studio / Philip Vile.
Real Studios knew it would be a challenging task. ‘We chose to focus on the continuing relevance of his words and his themes, looking at how his influence has endured,’ explains the practice’s co-director Yvonne Golds. ‘We came up with the idea of "Shakespeare all around you", but the design scheme also needed to be very robust because the trust’s visitor numbers are huge. On its busiest days there are 12,000 visitors in a day. That is a lot of footfall.’
The studio submitted a design proposal inspired by the enduring appeal of Shakespeare’s ‘powerful legacy of words’, which won it the job.
‘We wanted to show how he’s still all around us, whether we recognise it or not, in music and plays and the phrases that we use every day,’ says Golds. Placing part of the exhibition’s narrative firmly within the context of Shakespeare’s birth town of Stratford-upon-Avon was an important element, helping visitors to identify with the playwright’s personal life and where he lived during the height of his career. ‘We wanted to highlight the power of those words in performance, then bring Stratford-upon- Avon into the picture through revealing Shakespeare, the man,’ explains Golds.
The exhibition entrance, ‘contemporary with a classic touch’.
Real Studios is no stranger to exhibition design. A 15-year track record of designing both specialist and local history museums gave both Real and the trust the necessary confidence that the studio could plan and deliver what was required. ‘Our previous experience has honed our ability to layer information so that the exhibits and the presentations draw you in,’ says Gold. ‘They don’t overload you with detail, but the detail is there for those who want it.’
Visitors enter to find Shakespeare’s image and words all around them;
The exhibition, at the entrance to the house and gardens of Mary Arden’s where Shakespeare was born and raised, aims to introduce visitors to the key narratives of the playwright’s life before they enter the birthplace itself. The first thing the visitor sees is a collection of a dozen different portraits, in a variety of media, hung on walls and display bookcases, emphasising that Shakespeare is literally all around you.
Words and phrases coined by Shakespeare cover the walls;
As the visitor walks through the space, they encounter a tapestry of text that bears witness to the impact that Shakespeare’s works have had on the English language and everyday speech. ‘In this area, we are demonstrating his influence on our language with walls of text, comprising super-sized words and phrases taken directly or indirectly from Shakespeare’s works,’ says Golds.
AV footage inside the drum space;
On the facing wall is a display of what looks like old bound volumes of the plays, along with cases containing items from the trust’s extraordinary archive collection. Reinforcing the ‘all around us’ theme is a montage of photographs sent in by the public, demonstrating Shakespeare’s physical presence in shop names, places, roads, venues and cultural events.
The Simpsons do Macbeth.
At the centre of the exhibition is the ‘drum space’, a 10m-diameter feature that separates those seeking the fast-track experience (who exit at one side) from visitors wishing to enjoy the more immersive version. The drum itself is a translucent acrylic structure, criss-crossed with red ‘beams’ hinting at the Tudor architecture of the original Globe theatre in London.
The trust’s archive collection includes the First Folio, an original published edition of Shakespeare’s plays.
Inside the drum, bespoke films made by interactive design company 59 Productions surround visitors. AV footage featuring clips taken from contemporary theatre performances, music, films and dance highlight Shakespeare’s continuing relevance across cultural, gender and demographic divides. It is a multifunctional space which can be adapted to different purposes. Golds comments: ‘Having a dividing screen that allows you to use it for both exhibition visitors and special events has proved invaluable. What it gives the client is an opportunity for other uses.’ Its design contrasts visually with the surrounding scheme, in which oak finishes and shades of white and grey provide a neutral backdrop that allows the objects and displays to stand out.
The final section hasobjects and mementos illustrating and documenting his life in Stratford.
The trust’s archive collection includes his seal ring.
Real Studios set out to create a visitor experience that is entertaining, informative and executed with a light touch, in which people can move freely between exhibits. ‘We have reorganised the story so that it is site appropriate, rather than a generic Shakespeare experience,’ says Golds. ‘The exhibition is very inclusive, catering for the birthplace’s huge international audience as well as local visitors. Although the content is a light touch in terms of traditional exhibition storytelling, there is insight as well. If you want it.’
The Famous Beyond Words exhibition (now open) marks the 450th anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth. It is expected to attract 1.2 million visitors over the next three years, leading up to the 400th anniversary of his death in 2016.
Words by Emily Martin
Main suppliers
Frames:
Foster Frames
AV software design:
59 Productions
Graphics:
Surface 3 Graphics , Leach Graphics
Lighting design:
DHA
