Running from 3-25 July at Greenwich Theatre, James Haddrell’s production of Romeo and Juliet reimagines the classic tragedy with Romeo as a woman. The greatest love story of them all is brought to life in a production filled with music, love and theatrical magic. The cast will also take part in The Little Mermaid, from 31 Jul-23 Aug.
Ticket link: https://greenwichtheatre.org.uk/events/romeo-juliet/
I caught up with Blossom Timothy (Romeo) and Ava Honey (Juliet) on a recent Zoom call .
What can audiences expect from this new production of Romeo and Juliet?
Ava: This is still Shakespeare’s timeless love story, but with Romeo and Juliet played by two women. We were lucky enough to audition together, so we’ve been able to build that relationship from the very beginning. It’s been exciting to explore how changing Romeo’s gender shifts the meaning of certain moments while keeping the emotional heart of the play intact. We also have a female Mercurio and Friar Lawrence, which is interesting.
Blossom: Shakespeare writes brilliantly about the human condition, and those emotions are universal. Reimagining Romeo as a woman has been a fascinating challenge, allowing us to discover new layers in a character audiences think they already know.
How has the text been adapted?
Ava: We’ve made careful changes where certain jokes or references no longer fit, but the iconic moments remain. In our version, Juliet isn’t avoiding Paris because he’s older; she simply isn’t attracted to men. That makes her conflict feel more immediate and relatable for a modern audience.
Blossom: We’ve also updated the occasional word where it helps clarity, while preserving Shakespeare’s rhythm and the beauty of the language.
What has been the biggest challenge?
Ava: Definitely the sword fighting! I had almost no experience with stage combat, but our fight director has been incredible, giving us the confidence to perform safely while making the action exciting.
Blossom: Working through Shakespeare’s language has been equally rewarding. Once you understand exactly why every line is being spoken, it transforms your performance.
Why should people come and see the show?
Ava: It’s a fresh perspective on one of the world’s greatest love stories, filled with passion, humour and thrilling fight scenes.
Blossom: At its heart, it’s about love, family and the consequences of misunderstanding across generations. We hope audiences leave seeing this classic story in an entirely new way.