British Shakespeare Company considering Chester for its northern home

Oct 1 2009 by David Holmes, Chester Chronicle

TOURING theatre group the British Shakespeare Company (BSC) plans to use the replica of the Rose as its permanent home in the north of England.

The structure, which featured in Shakespeare in Love, was donated to the company by its patron, Dame Judi Dench, who picked up an Oscar for the 1998 film.

BSC founder Robert Williamson hopes to rebuild the playhouse in a major northern city and is currently in discussions with local authorities in Chester, Sheffield, York and Manchester.

Mr Williamson told The Stage: “London has got the Globe, it’s got Regent’s Park, it’s got the wonderful season by the Royal Shakespeare Company. In the Midlands they have got the fantastic series of theatres with the RSC that do some incredible work.

“But in the north of England there isn’t anything as a centre for Shakespeare. So the north is the place to have it.”

The company is launching a charitable trust to manage the project. It is hoped the Rose could become a major tourist attraction by serving as a living history centre during the day.