Hamlet - The Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford

Saturday 29th March, 2025 - 1.00pm matinee performance

A select CCA group travelled by luxury minibus to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre Stratford, for a matinee performance of a brand new production of Hamlet, one of William Shakespeare's greatest play: a story of revenge leading to madness, betrayal and tragedy.

Set in a world where power, revenge, and betrayal collide in a whirlwind of emotions, it is a timeless tale of a man torn between duty and desire, as he grapples with the ghostly revelation of his father's murder and the corrupt reign of his uncle. This masterwork by Shakespeare explores the depths of the human soul, questioning morality, madness, and the very meaning of existence. It is a profound reflection on life and the consequences of our choices.

Starring Luke Thallon, Jared Harris and Anton Lesser, this brand new production for the Royal Shakespeare Company was directed by Rupert Goold (Artistic Director of the Almeida Theatre, London, moving to Artistic Director of The Old Vic, London in 2026). Known for his bold and cinematic approach, Goold's production was set on board a Titanic-like ship, full of danger and uncertainty. The powerful performances and striking visuals brought a fresh and electrifying vision to Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy, breathing new life into Shakespeare's tale of revenge, madness, and fate.

Our trip included door to door travel from Bristol to The Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon and premium stall seats for the 1.00pm matinee performance.

Full Details

Transport: Door to door luxury minibus
Pick-up Point: All Saints Church, Pembroke Road, Clifton, BS8 3ED.
Date/Time: Saturday 29th March, 2025; depart 9.00am; return by c. 7.00pm
Itinerary:
- 9.00-11.00am - Depart All Saints Church; journey to Stratford
- 11.30am-12:45pm - Lunch in Stratford: own arrangements
  - You are welcome to bring your own picnic lunch to eat by the banks of the River Avon (if the weather's fine!) or find a local cafe or restaurant in Stratford. The theatre itself has two main dining options, which have the benefit of being in close proximity to the auditorium, seeing as we do only have an hour for lunch.
    - The Riverside Terrace is situated on a terrace overlooking the river and is open from 11.30am serving their all day menu, featuring salads, meze platters, ice cream sundaes and more. The Riverside Terrace operates on a first-come/first-served basis.
    - The Rooftop Restaurant is situated on the 3rd floor of the main Theatre building providing scenic views of the River Avon. Their full menu is served from 11.30am, and on show days, they also offer a fixed price menu for pre-theatre dining, consisting of two courses (£29) or three courses (£35) - see here for a sample menu. It is advisable to book The Rooftop Restaurant in advance, letting them know you will be seeing the 1.00pm matinee performance in the main theatre. Contact them on: rooftop@rsc.org.uk or call 01789 403449.
- 1.00pm - Performance of Hamlet starts (performance time: c. 3hrs, incl. an interval of 20 mins)
- 5.00pm - Depart Stratford for Bristol via minibus
- 6.45-7.00pm - Arrive back at All Saints

William Shakespeare (1751-1816)
Shakespeare - portrait William Shakespeare, born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, is widely regarded as one of the greatest playwrights and poets in history. He married Anne Hathaway in 1582 and had three children. By the late 1580s, Shakespeare had moved to London, where he became an actor, playwright, and shareholder in the Lord Chamberlain's Men, a prominent theater company. Over his career, he wrote 39 plays, including classics like Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and Macbeth, as well as 154 sonnets and several other poems. His works explore complex themes of love, power, identity, and human nature, and have had an enduring influence on literature and the arts. Shakespeare retired to Stratford around 1613 and died in 1616 at the age of 52. His legacy endures as his works continue to be performed and studied worldwide.

Planning your Visit

A Warm Hello

The following information is specifically for those planning a visit, so that you know, beforehand, what to expect on a Sunday morning.

Where and When

We meet at the Church Building (details here) for our Sunday Service starting at 10am. For your first visit, we recommend arriving 10-15 minutes early to ensure you get a parking space and find somewhere to sit before the service begins. When you arrive, you should be greeted by someone on our Welcome Team who will be wearing a Welcome lanyard.

We serve tea, coffee and biscuits from 10am, before the service begins. It is a great way to meet people, or simply take time to find your bearings. All refreshments are free.

Accessibility: There is wheelchair access, and a sound loop for anyone who needs it. Please let one of the Welcome Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. There are disabled toilets in the main foyer.

Our Service

The main service begins at 10am with a warm welcome from one of our team members. Then follows a time of sung worship, led by our band. We typically have 2 or 3 songs lasting approximately 20 minutes. Sometimes a person might pray out loud or read a small passage from the bible. Sometimes people share things that they believe God is saying to the whole church family. This might seem strange the first time you hear it but it’s all part of our connecting with God. We then share news and notices, usually about what’s going on in the life of the church. One of our leaders will then give a sermon that is bible based and that we can apply to our everyday life. We then finish with a final worship song. Sometimes there is an opportunity to receive prayer at the end of the service.

images: Services

What about my kids?

We have a great programme lined up for kids of all ages:

Creche (0 months to 3 years). Children under 6 months are welcome but must be accompanied by their parent/grown-up at all times.
Livewires (3-7 years)
Encounter (7-11 years)
Katalyst (11-15 years)
Young people (15+ years) Stay in service.

Children stay with their parent or grown-up at the start of the service for the welcome, songs and notices. We really value worshipping God all together as a family. At the end of the notices someone will announce that it’s time for the younger members to go to their various groups. You will need to go with your children to their groups and register them as part of our child safety policy. Whilst you are dropping your kids off at their groups, we pause to take time to chat to someone sitting near or next to us, giving folk a chance to come back before the sermon begins.

The kids group activities vary depending on the age but usually there is a friendly welcome, bible stories, testimonies, praying, music, craft, drama, fun games and free play. Please pick your children up as soon as the service finishes.

Getting Connected

Small Groups

While Sundays are a great way to meet new people, it is often in smaller gatherings that you can really get to know someone. Being part of one of our small groups allows you to make new friends, share together and support each other. We have a variety of groups that meet throughout the week, some afternoons and some evenings. Check out Small Groups and see if there’s one that you could join, or we can put you in touch with a small group leader who will be more than happy to invite you along to their group.

Serving and Volunteering

If you want to get involved in the life of the church and help us make Sundays run smoothly, you can sign up to serve on a team.

Other Ministries

We also run the following ministries:

Men's Ministries
Women's Ministries
Night Shelter
Foodbank

Get in touch with us to plan your visit

If you would like to come and visit the church beforehand you are more than welcome! Get in touch and we can arrange a time that suits you.

Name:

Telephone:

Email Address:
Comments / Questions or anything you would like to say?

Next, we will contact you by email to say hello and help arrange anything necessary for your visit.

Leadership


Leader 1		Leader 2
Leader Intro		Leader Intro

We hope that whoever you are, you will feel at home at our church.

Best Wishes

(Handwritten Signature)