RSC Foresees No Olympic Nightmare???

The Royal Shakespeare Company are definitely not amongst those predicting doom and gloom for Theatreland come this summer’s Olympics. They are, of course, spearheading the World Shakespeare Festival – involving over 70 other arts organisations – so maybe they’re biased, but according to executive director Vikki Heywood, speaking at a press briefing today to announce the company’s 2012/13 winter season, sales for the 1 million tickets are going “extremely well”. “I’m sure the night of the opening ceremony will be a quiet night,” Heywood joked, but apart from that she isn’t worried. “We’re not seeing any indication of any dip over the Olympic period,” she said, while urging journalists to remember “we are celebrating art alongside the sport” with the World Shakespeare Festival and the Cultural Olympiad.