Festival Theatre — Attraction in Stratford

Wonderful play! Well acted! There was also a cool trumpet band that invited guests to enter the building!

Seating: The bottoms were cushioned and the arms were wooden. They were fairly comfortable. I had an aisle seat, which allowed me to stretch out my one leg sometimes.

Food: It was nice that they have a wider variety of food options here than I have seen at many places. They have a variety of desserts. They have gluten-free options. There were drinks here as well. I had pre-ordered a water bottle, so I was able to go through a shorter line that appears to allow you to present your pre-purchased tickets to save time. I'm not 100% sure that it was mainly for pre-purchased tickets though, but they had a sign at that line saying pre-purchased tickets.

Seating: There are black rectangular areas that slightly impede the audience's view. They are the areas that the actors come up through. They seem to come up to the eyes or nose line of the men I saw sitting there. You could bring a cushion to increase your height.

Pictures: You can take pictures in front of the Stratford Festival. They have beautiful gardens.

Sound: It was run well for the most part. I think the actors were miked somehow because during the singing, I noticed it suddenly getting loud in the area that might hold some speakers in (the area that the actors run out of under the audience).

Tip: Arrive an hour before and go for a picturesque walk along Lakeside Dr. It is a magical place! To give you an idea, I walked in the pouring rain for 40 minutes along the river because it was so beautiful -- even in the pouring rain.

Washrooms: They have a lot of washrooms. They also have wheelchair accessible washrooms.

Store: They have so many things in their store nearby. They have tons of books about Shakespeare, games, clothing, puzzles, books for kids, trinkets, jewelry, notebooks, fun animal themed items, etc.

Parking: Park at the corner of Lakeside Drive and Queen Street and 55 Queen Street. It is a huge lot with weirdly angled parking, yet...

It is one of the world's most perfect spots! Adored by young and old and filled with joy. The Stratford Festival has no equal.

The plays are incredible. The stage is wonderful. The actors superb. If it were possible, I would go every single day. This seems like hyperbole. Trust me, it is not.

The theatre itself is large and impressive. There is light food and a variety of drinks available. The House Manager will help you with anything you need, and the staff is overwhelmingly friendly. There is limited handicap parking near the festival entrance. There is a large pay lot slightly down the hill, and ample parking on Lakeside Drive and Monette Way if you are comfortable with a short walk.

The plays vary in length and always have an intermission. They are truly spectacular.

The dress code seems to have changed over the years. There were times in the past where I would have never considered wearing anything other than a button-down shirt and slacks, my date in a nice dress, and indeed one-third of the crowd still dresses that way. The next third dresses in nice casual clothes that might include golf shirt or shorts, and the final third could be completely casual. To Stratford's credit, you may wear what you wish, and I promise that no one is going to judge you. You'll see teenagers in Metallica t-shirts and jeans. You'll see retirees dressed in very, very nice clothes that are clearly expensive. No one really cares. Dress as you like.

One last thing for the ladies: bring a throw blanket or a jacket. The theatre temperature can sometimes feel brisk - I'm sure that's purposeful. Even in the summer you may find that bringing a light blanket or sweater with you truly saved the day.

You will find some light traffic after the show. Be patient. It doesn't last long.

Enjoy yourself. Let yourself be immersed. Oh, and if you can find the time to do a behind the scenes...

We went to see “Much Ado About Nothing” at the Festival Theatre. “Ado” is not one of the plays I studied in school - not had my wife - so the premise was new to us. We enjoy a good play, and even love the bad ones…both types give us something to talk about and reminisce down the years. Although this review is about the theatre itself - roomy seating, great visibility, a reasonable selection of food and drink - I wanted to speak about “Ado” as a performance. Best play we have seen. Not in the last few years…ever. The cast had incredible chemistry, the language was approachable through the body language and characterization, and the 4th wall engagement which took place at strategic points drew the audience in and made us part of the event. This was the first time I have felt as if I was witnessing how Shakespeare intended the work to connect with his audience; sort of like watching John Williams conduct Star Wars. The play was not uniquely 16th century - the “Mmmm-Hmm!” with a Southern accent by the maids would not have been recognized per se, but the fact that the characters had a saucy, pedestrian overtone brought them to life with such current cultural precision it had tears streaming down my face, and could have been replaced in any time period with an intonation both current and local which helped create the unique identity that I am sure the Bard would have appreciated. Bravo! Bravissimo!! Much Ado About Nothing (2023 season) at the Festival Theatre is worth the trip...