Re-imagining Romeo and Juliet

Beginnings: Same van. New direction.

How do you approach directing not only one of the most popular but arguably one of the best plays of all time? Add to that being handed the same design as last year's tour?

With a fresh company of actors, a different edit of the script and different doubling of characters, Elizabeth Freestone's vision for this re-imagined production of Romeo & Juliet was actually quite simple; to empower the actors to make and own their own choices. "Detail was the focus of the process; everything we did was connected to a world, for which we as a group had a shared image." (Michael Cox: Benvolio/Balthasar). The company were encouraged to contribute their ideas from the very beginning.

By thus encouraging the company to become fully committed to the production from the beginning, the production would always have a strong and engaging core that could be adapted to fit each new venue and performed truthfully, whatever the conditions, to any audience (whether 200 people in a park or 1500 people at the Globe).

As her assistant, I can honestly say that she has succeeded in guiding a company of actors not only to love the production they’ve created, but to truly enjoy working together. In Romeo & Juliet, if you don't have any chemistry between the lovers, you don't have a play. In our production, not only is there electricity between Romeo and Juliet, there is also a fierce chemistry between everyone on that stage. This is the fifth time I've worked on Romeo & Juliet in some capacity and the more I watch this production the more I am seeing it for the first time; I'm hearing lines I've never heard before.

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