N extraordinary photographic exhibition opened at the Swan Theatre in Stratford this week.

The subject is the Royal Shakespeare Company's highly successful production of Eastward Ho!, which is currently playing to packed houses at the Swan.

In Order of Appearance has been created as a result of a partnership between the RSC and the photography department of Central St Martins School of Art and Design.

The photographers involved in the project are Christian Doyle, an ex-student of St Martins and professional photographer, and Ellie Kurtz, a student of St Martins.

The exhibition consists of individual black and white portraits of Eastward Ho! actors as they undergo their transformation into their stage characters, as well as portraits of the backstage crew, including technicians, caterers, cleaners and costume and wig makers.

"We have taken 70 shots of people and it quite hard to tell the performers from those who are not," said Christian,

"Everyone has played a part in the project, thus illustrating the famous line that all the world is a stage - totally appropriate in this case."

A third strand of the exhibition is photographs that reflect the modern equivalents of the characters and London locations of the play.

The exhibition runs until the play closes on September 14 and is open from 1.30pm to 6.30pm weekdays and 10am to 6.30pm on Saturdays and 10am to 4pm on Sundays.

Tickets for Eastward Ho! are available from the RSC box office on 0870 609 1110.