The renovation of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre — designed by Elisabeth Scott and completed in 1932 — has now started in earnest, with preliminary demolition work well advanced, as the photos, taken on Monday, last week show.

The fence went up around Elizabeth Scott’s Royal Shakespeare Theatre today as the demolition crews moved in to start the three year rebuilding programme.

You’ll agree the old building looks slightly undignified as her insides are ripped out.

Watch this space for the continuing story, and more pictures.

Steve Newman

Royal Shakespeare Company’s Courtyard Theatre, Stratford.

Hilary and I should have been going to see Sir Ian McKellen in Trevor Nunn’s production of King Lear at the Courtyard Theatre here in Stratford back in April, but all press tickets were withdrawn after Frances Barber - who plays Goneril - badly injured her knee in a cycling accident. The reason given for the withdrawal is that Frances’s understudy, Melanie Jessop, needs more time to learn the part (plus Barber’s part in The Seagull, which is running alongside in rep) sufficiently well before the press are allowed in to comment, or, alternatively, give Frances longer to recover so that she can take on the part again.

We now hear that Frances Barber will not be resuming her roles (although I saw her in Stratford last week on crutches), and that press tickets will not be available until after the 31st of May, which means there will be less than four weeks left of the show’s run; and there is to be no extension. The show continues to run in preview, and is doing good business.

My only fear is that the press will think it pointless turning-up to review a production (and Trevor Nunn is still in town looking very weary) that has less than four weeks to run.

But worry not, we shall be there.