THE Royal Shakespeare Company’s prop store is the focus of a new exhibition by the Bristol-based Stand + Stare Collective which is due to open in early April.

Visitors to the theatre at Stratford-upon-Avon will be able to explore the secrets behind 12 props from the company’s fascinating prop store, find out more about how they are made, the stories that lie behind them and what happens to a prop once a production ends.

Using audio interviews and interactive videos the objects will be used to tell the stories of how the props team work. Props appearing in the exhibition include a dagger from Macbeth, alarm clock from The Taming of the Shrew, Yorick’s skull from Hamlet and a Jester’s head from King Lear.

Alan Fell, head of properties workshop said: “Our team make, source, or find props for all RSC productions, all of which begin their life in Stratford-upon-Avon. We use a huge range of skills from carving and sculpting to basket weaving and upholstery and the work is extremely detailed.#"Accuracy according to period is essential so we spend a lot of time consulting reference books, researching online and at museums.

"A prop is anything that appears on stage which is not scenery, a costume or a hat and we’re often asked to make the strangest things. We’re looking forward to sharing some of these stories through the exhibition."

Lucy Heywood, of Stand + Stare, said: “The RSC’s props store is a vast, sprawling warehouse full of aisles of metal shelves. It’s stuffed with weird and wonderful props from snails to sailing ships, all waiting to be reused or recycled. Through animation and video we’ll immerse the audience into this magical world and tell the wonderful stories of twelve of the props.”

The exhibition, which is free to visit, opens on April 4 and runs through until September 21.