Intermission Youth Theatre present reimagined Romeo & Juliet

Intermission Youth Theatre’s artistic director Darren Raymond has re-imaged Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, and is launching the modern production this November.

The new play is titled Juliet & Romeo, and reverses the roles of the two protagonists; the production references the BLM movement, the pandemic, and a number of other topics from over the past year. 

The production follows on from the company’s previous critically acclaimed Shakespeare re-imaginings such as Excluded in 2019, and Othello:Remixed in 2018. The youth theatre have also collaborated with Shakespeare’s Globe in the past, such as on Shakespeare’s Walks and Shakespeare within the Abbey in 2018. 

Intermission Youth’s artistic director Darren Raymond says: ‘Transposing all of Juliet’s lines with Romeo’s and vice versa does something really interesting to this ancient text and brings fresh insight into this story with its themes of love, revenge, relationships and what it means to be a woman in this world.’

Mark Rylance, Intermission Youth’s trustee says: ‘There is so much dissection and political pressure around Shakespeare these days, I find it hard sometimes to connect with my old love for the plays themselves. But when I listen to the sincere vital playing of the young actors of Intermission Youth my love is reborn and I feel that old bard magic - that wonderful connection with the emotions and imagination of the genius of Shakespeare.’

‘The gender change is a revelation and works beautifully. Only young people can do justice to Romeo and Juliet. Prepare to be moved to laughter and tears. This is authentic stuff.’

Juliet & Romeo will run for a month from 10 November to 4 December. 

Tickets are available here.