Russell Kane to make stage debut in ROMEO & JULIET at New Vic Theatre
In a first-time collaboration, the New Vic and acclaimed theatre company Not Too Tame will produce a radical reimagining of Shakespeare’s iconic love story Romeo & Juliet from 17 September-10 October, with multi award-winning comedian Russell Kane as Romeo in his first stage role.
Directed by Not Too Tame Artistic Director Jimmy Fairhurst, this retelling imagines the star-crossed lovers meeting later in life, repositioning the story from a perspective of age and experience, with the title characters aged in their 40s.
Fairhurst said: “Romeo & Juliet is our third Shakespeare adaptation and it’ll be the one that packs the biggest punch. I’m incredibly excited to be making this show with the New Vic in their exquisite theatrical coliseum. I’m also thrilled to be working with a performer of Russell Kane’s calibre and dedication as we unleash him into the world of theatre as you’ve never seen him before. In early R&D we discovered that ageing the families up unlocks something powerful and painfully familiar for modern audiences. The audience will be heavily involved in this production. I guarantee it will be as funny as it is heartbreaking. Buckle up!”
New Vic Artistic Director Theresa Heskins said: “I’m delighted that in our 40th anniversary year, we’re announcing a programme that will showcase our core values - that everyone should have access to great theatre; that local talent should be prized and nurtured; that young people’s first experiences of theatre should inspire them with a lifetime’s love for it.
“We’ll be collaborating with Not Too Tame for the first time as we stage Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. Our philosophy that theatre should be for everyone perfectly aligns with Not Too Tame’s ethos and will deliver an unapologetically bold reinterpretation of this classic play.”
The New Vic Theatre’s new season will go on general sale on 25 March, with further info here.