The Royal Shakespeare Company is to perform “an adrenaline-charged, 90-minute adaptation” of Romeo and Juliet in schools and theatres around the country in 2024.
The 12-week tour is an RSC First Encounters with Shakespeare production aimed at new and younger audiences. Romeo and Juliet will be directed by Trybe House Theatre artistic director Philip J Morris using an abridged version of the script edited by dramaturg Robin Belfield.
The cast includes a number of actors making their RSC debuts, including Campbell Wallace and Zensi Alleyne who take on the title roles. Chloe Fenwick-Brown will play Benvolio, while Dinarte Gouveia will take on the dual roles of Tybalt and Paris. Qasim Mahmood will play both Mercutio and the Prince, with Thomas Vernal as Lord Capulet and Friar John.
Returning to the RSC is Caitlin Drake in the roles of the nurse and Lady Capulet. Orlando Wells will also return to play Friar Laurence.
At each venue, young people from RSC associate schools will have a number of opportunities to get involved. Others will be invited to attend a two-day workshop in Stratford shadowing RSC technical and production teams.
Director Philip J Morris said, “as relevant today as it was 400 years ago, the play’s enduring appeal lies in its subject matter, from the intoxication of first love to the tension between misguided allegiances and rebellion.
“The impulse of youth and pressure to choose sides leads to a loss of life that’s a familiar narrative today, with youth violence on the rise and record numbers of young people seeking support for their mental health. These are some of the most challenging but persistent issues of our time and we hope our production can help shine a light on the need to engage in difficult but urgent conversations.”
The show’s creative team includes designer Ebrahim Nazier, Benjamin Kwasi Burrell (music) and casting director Martin Poile.
Romeo and Juliet will open in Leamington on Tuesday 30 January. It will then visit Northampton, Corby, Norwich, Cornwall, Bradford, Newcastle upon Tyne, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Birmingham, Stratford, Hull, Nottingham, Stoke-on-Trent and Skegness before culminating in Peterborough on Friday 26 April. The full list of dates is available at the RSC web site.