This week we joined Stratford-upon-Avon’s Climate Assembly to talk about our part in responding to the climate emergency.

The Assembly was run by Stratford-on-Avon District Council, to mark five years since the council declared a climate emergency. It was an opportunity to look at what progress is being made, plans for the future and further action.

We were represented at the event by Production Manager David Tanqueray and Associate Director Elizabeth Freestone.

Elizabeth's directing credits include The Tempest at the RSC in 2023, but she is also an environmental consultant, co-author of 100 Plays To Save The World, a book about plays that tackle the climate crisis, and the forthcoming Performing Shakespeare on an Endangered Planet. She took up the associate role this summer with a particular focus on sustainability.

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Elizabeth Freestone, RSC Associate Director

"Together, alongside many of our colleagues, we are working hard to reduce the RSC's carbon footprint and instil more sustainable working practices across all areas of our organisation.

"Our focus on green standards doesn't just encompass the productions we make for our stages, but also how we think about our archive and our catering - in fact, it involves everything we do, including thinking about our shows on tour, focusing on greener freight and cargo; our digital carbon footprint, trying to use greener software, hardware, and less energy-wasteful cloud storage; and our audiences, looking at how we might encourage greener forms of transport to our shows.”

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