‘After its Stratford and London runs, this production is heading out on an extensive countrywide tour and it will, I strongly suspect, prove a big national hit.’ Evening Standard, ????
‘A fresh, fleet, blade-sharp revival.’
Daily Telegraph, ????
The production will take to the road after its current season in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, where it runs until September 2018, and performances at the Barbican Theatre in London between November 2018 – January 2019.
In 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.
Directed by RSC Deputy Artistic Director, Erica Whyman, the production features Bally Gill and Karen Fishwick in the roles of Romeo and Juliet.
Erica 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. The RSC’s award-winning Matilda The Musical is currently on a UK and Ireland tour, and later this year we will take our First Encounters with Shakespeare production of The Comedy of Errors into theatres and schools.
In 2016 we toured my production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream around the UK, which involved local amateur groups and school children 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, this time Romeo and Juliet, out on the road in 2019.”
Bally Gill’s previous credits for the RSC include Coriolanus, Salome, Vice Versa, Always Orange and Fall of the Kingdom. His other credits include The Island Nation (Arcola Theatre), A Local Boy (The Arts Theatre), Dinner with Saddam (Menier Chocolate Factory), The Bureau of Lost Things (Theatre 503) and NW (BBC/Mammoth Screen).
Karen Fishwick makes her RSC debut. She most recently appeared in Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour
(National Theatre of Scotland/Live Theatre). Her other credits include Glasgow Girls (NTS/Citizens), Hansel and Gretel (Citizens Theatre), The Caucasian Chalk Circle, A Christmas Carol (Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh), Badults (BBC Three), James Kirk's Comedy Blaps, The Illuminati (The Comedy Unit) and Tides and Telegrams (for The Winter Tradition).
Charlotte Josephine, known for her writing as well as acting, plays Mercutio. Charlotte’s hit plays include the award-winning Bitch Boxer and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe sell-out Blush. Her acting credits beyond her own work include being part of the Lyric Hammersmith’s Secret Theatre Company and Phyllida Lloyd’s Julius Caesar at the Donmar Warehouse.
Ishia Bennison plays the Nurse. Ishia’s previous RSC work includes: A Mad World My Masters, Candide, A New Way To Please You, Sejanus: His Fall, Speaking Like Magpies, Cymbeline and Measure for Measure. Her extensive on-screen credits include Happy Valley, New Tricks, Last Tango in Halifax, Much Ado About Nothing and King David with Richard Gere.
Playing Tybalt is Raphael Sowole, whose credits include Simon Stephens‘ adaptation of The Seagull (Lyric Hammersmith), Pygmalion (Headlong, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Nuffield) and Black Theatre Live’s touring production of Hamlet.
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).
The production 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.
Tickets for Romeo and Juliet are currently on pre-sale to Friends of Bradford Theatres and tickets will goon general sale from Monday 18 June. Please call the Box Office on 01274 432000 or visit bradford-theatres.co.uk for more information.
