Corby young people set to perform in Royal Shakespeare Company’s tour of Romeo & Juliet

Ten young people from Corby and the surrounding area will perform alongside actors from the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in a 90-minute, adrenaline-charged production of Romeo & Juliet.

The show visits The Core at Corby Cube from Friday, February 9 to Saturday, February 10.

The latest in the RSC’s series of First Encounters with Shakespeare productions aimed at new and younger audiences, the show will be directed by Trybe House Theatre Artistic Director, Philip J Morris.

Performed in Shakespeare’s original language, the show uses an abridged version of the script edited by Dramaturg, Robin Belfield.

Ten young people, aged eight to 16-years-old, from the region will be joining professional RSC actors as members of a Prince’s counsel, in a reworking of the Prince of Verona’s role.

Together, the Prince and his counsel will attempt to restore the peace while representing what might happen if young people were also the decision makers.

The production is part of a 12-week nationwide tour of schools and regional theatres.

Introducing a new Verona with a nod to old Italy, the modern-day costume and shape-shifting scenery will provide a dynamic, contemporary backdrop for the action.

Exploring the pressures of time, conformity and the intensity of adolescence, Morris’s production examines themes of innocence, indoctrination, and ignorance and also aims to bring Shakespeare’s star crossed lovers up to date for a new generation of theatregoers.

Rehearsals for the young company began on January 15, and are led by RSC actor and Director Ibraheem Toure alongside local practitioner Kerrie Walters.

Kerrie said: “The First Encounters project has been a fantastic opportunity for the young people to explore Shakespeare’s work in a fun and dynamic way.

“The young company are all home educated and have come together to explore Romeo and Juliet as intended within a working theatre.

“From the very first rehearsal, the children have been encouraged to collaborate with The RSC to use their voices and really make the piece their own.

“The young people certainly relished the opportunity and were quickly offering ideas for staging and sharing their take on the themes presented within the play.

“What was created was a safe space to have some big conversations surrounding politics and knife crime and each young person has left with a much more substantial understanding of Shakespeare’s work.”

Director Philip J Morris said: “As relevant today as it was 400 years ago, the play’s enduring appeal lies in its subject matter; from the intoxication of first love to the tension between misguided allegiances and rebellion.

“The impulse of youth and pressure to choose sides leads to a senseless loss of life that is a familiar narrative today with knife-crime on the rise and record numbers of young people seeking support for their mental health.

“These are some of the most challenging but persistent issues of our time and we hope that our production can help shine a light on the need to engage in difficult but urgent conversations.”

The show’s creative team includes Philip J Morris (director), Ebrahim Nazier (designer), Vicki Igokwe-Ozoagu (movement) Bethan Clark (fights) and Robin Belfield (Dramaturg).

Tickets are available at The Core at Corby Cube’s website or by calling the ticket office on 01536 470470.