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Royal Shakespeare Company's Romeo and JulietRSC Production of Shakespeare’s Epic Tale to Tour UKA bold theatrical new staging of Shakespeare's fast-moving story of two teenagers torn apart by their families' vendetta travels Britain in Autumn 2008.
The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) has announced that this autumn it will tour the UK with a production of Romeo and Juliet, to be staged at The Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon from late November to January 2009. The PlayWithout doubt Romeo and Juliet is one of Shakespeare’s most enduring works. There is some doubt as to when it was written by Shakespeare, and indeed when it was first performed, but a general consensus seems to be somewhere between 1591 and 1595. Its first noted appearance in writing was in 1598, in which it indicates that the play had been performed many times prior to that date. The play has a long and constant history of theatre production. David Garrick, renowned actor, playwright and producer, put on a production of Romeo and Juliet for London audiences in 1746. Since then other productions and notable performances – such as the portrayals of Romeo by both Laurence Olivier and John Geilgud – have entranced theatre goers over the centuries. The story has also made its way on to the cinema screen with classic interpretations. The first of these was in 1936, directed by George Cukor and starring Leslie Howard as Romeo and Norma Shearer as Juliet. The most recent was Baz Lurhman’s striking interpretation using the traditional words but set in the modern-day U.S. and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes in the lead roles. Both films were nominated for Academy Awards, but neither won. Other stage and screen productions have also been influenced by the play, most notably West Side Story, the film version of which, somewhat ironically, won 10 Academy Awards. The Latest RSC ProductionThe RSC promises a bold and striking production with a company of 23 actors and a seven-piece live band on stage. The role of Romeo will be played by David Dawson, who will be making his RSC debut. Dawson has numerous other stage and small screen roles to his credit and received a Laurence Olivier Award nomination for Best Newcomer in a Play for his role as "Smike" in The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby. Juliet will be played by Laura Rees, who last appeared with the RSC alongside Ralph Fiennes in Ibsen’s Brand in 2003. She has appeared in a number of productions of Shakespeare’s works and her screen work includes Lewis and Where The Heart Is (ITV), Holby City (BBC) and the Richard Curtis film Love Actually. Speaking about the cast, director Neil Bartlett said, “This a great play to cast; there aren't any boring parts. And I've cast some pretty fierce actors. “Laura and David are both real individuals, very striking young people, and well up for the challenge of their famous roles – they both have a physical and mental intensity that will stand them in good stead – and they seem completely unafraid! I think they'll really strike sparks off each other.” For details of locations and dates see the RSC website www.rsc.org.uk
The copyright of the article Royal Shakespeare Company's Romeo and Juliet in Shakespearean Performances is owned by Tony Butcher. Permission to republish Royal Shakespeare Company's Romeo and Juliet in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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