Terry Hands' Goodbye Trouble for RSC Village???

RSC artistic director Adrian Noble last month announced far-reaching plans to create a riverside "theatre village" at the Royal Shakespeare's home in Stratford-upon-Avon. But the project, which entails the demolition of the current Royal Shakespeare Theatre, hasn't been greeted with unanimous praise. Now it's been revealed that RSC advisor Terry Hands, a former artistic director of the company, has resigned in protest, saying that he "could not see how these plans could be financially or artistically viable". Apparently, Hands wasn't too pleased either with some of Noble's earlier changes to the RSC, which include the cessation of the company's London residency at the Barbican Centre and a shortening of actors' contract terms. There’s speculation that the "theatre village" plans in particular may now be jeopardised. Heritage groups have also been up in arms about the demise of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, built in 1932 and now a listed building. The RSC board of governors have reportedly called a meeting, chaired by the Prince of Wales, to discuss the situation.

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