The Royal Shakespeare Company production of Romeo and Juliet is to tour to Norwich, Newcastle upon Tyne, Bradford, Nottingham and Blackpool early in 2019.
The production will take to the road after its current season in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford where it runs until September 2018 and performances at London’s Barbican between November 2018 and January 2019.
Directed by RSC deputy artistic director Erica Whyman, the production features Bally Gill and Karen Fishwick in the roles of Romeo and Juliet.
Whyman said, “touring our work is at the heart of what the RSC is about. It gives as many people as possible the chance to experience our productions.
“In 2016, we toured my production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream around the UK, which involved amateur groups and schoolchildren working alongside our professional cast. I know from first-hand experience the effect this had on those who took part and those who saw the show. It’s therefore a great delight to me to be taking another of my productions out on the road in 2019.”
Charlotte Josephine plays Mercutio, Ishia Bennison is the nurse and Raphael Sowole plays Tybalt. The cast also includes Afolabi Alli (Paris), Donna Banya (Gregory), Stevie Basaula (Sampson), Katy Brittain (Friar John / apothecary), Raif Clarke (Peter), Beth Cordingly (Escalus), Paul Dodds (Montague), Josh Finan (Benvolio), Andrew French (Friar Laurence), Mariam Haque (Lady Capulet), Michael Hodgson (Capulet), John Macaulay (cousin Capulet), Tom Padley (Balthasar), Sakuntala Ramanee (Lady Montague) and Nima Taleghani (Abraham).
At each venue on the tour, two groups of four young people from the local area will share the role of the chorus with the professional cast.
Romeo and Juliet is designed by Tom Piper with lighting by Charles Balfour and sound by Jeremy Dunn. Music is by Sophie Cotton and movement by Ayse Tashkiran.
The tour starts at the Theatre Royal, Norwich from 29 January until 2 February. It transfers to Newcastle Theatre Royal from 5 until 9 February, Alhambra Theatre, Bradford from 12 until 16 February, Nottingham Theatre Royal from 19 until 23 February and the Grand Theatre, Blackpool from 26 February until 2 March.