‘Romeo and Juliet is not just a love story’
A new production of Shakespeare’s play mixes tragedy with politics and circus choreography... and it’s coming to a theatre near you
WALES Millennium Centre and Omidaze Productions combine politics and tragedy in a new interpretation of Romeo and Juliet, the third and final part of their Shakespeare trilogy.
This co-production pairs the wellloved tragedy with aerial circus alongside a series of workshops to explore power and explain our parliamentary systems to schoolchildren.
Set against a backdrop of conflict, civil disturbance and prejudice in present British society, this timeless production tells a story of young people betrayed by a fractured society leading to tragic consequences.
In keeping with the play’s central theme of overcoming societal barriers, this inclusive version uses unconventional staging to encourage audiences to move and explore the set, allowing them to experience the drama up close and be absorbed in the story.
Following acclaimed all-female productions of Richard III and Henry VI in 2015 and 2016, Romeo and Juliet will feature a mixed, gender-blind and colour-blind cast, directed by Omidaze Productions’ Artistic Director and Wales Millennium Centre Associate Artist Yvonne Murphy, with circus choreography and movement direction by Paul Evans, Associate Artist of NoFitState Circus.
Leading the way is Newport’s Connor Allen as Romeo, alongside Aamira Challenger, a graduate of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, as Juliet.
Cardiff-born Kayed MohamedMason takes the role of Tybalt and completing the ensemble are Gemma Creasey, Hannah O’Leary and Salim Sai.
Open rehearsals across Wales have seen the company sharing their rehearsal process with school students aged 7+ and a series of educational workshops will continue into the summer term, taking primary and secondary students on an interactive tour of the UK and Welsh parliaments empowering them with an understanding of modern politics, power and Shakespeare.
Both Connor, who studied acting at University of Wales Trinity Saint David, and Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama alum, Kayed fed off the enthusiasm at the school workshops, with it being the first experience of Shakespeare for some kids.
Connor said: “The workshops were really well received. They love being a part of the rehearsal process because we treat them like assistant directors so they get to contribute to the scenes and play around with us. It breaks down barriers and gives them a clear path to the creative arts because we come to them. It also opens up the world of Shakespeare so the children can understand it more and won’t be afraid, like I was, thinking it’s only for the literate and middle class.
“For many of the children we rehearsed with, it was their first time experiencing Shakespeare and that could be daunting, but every child understood the language and the context of the scenes. It also helped having facilitators run workshops with the children before we arrived, so they were ready for us”
Connor was born and raised in Newport where he stayed for eighteen years before going to Carmarthen to train as an actor.
Since graduating, Connor has worked with prominent Welsh companies such as National Theatre Wales’ Stories of the Streets, Taking Flight’s Real Human Being, Mess up the Mess,’ Hidden and more recently, Sherman Theatre’s Bird.
He is a member of National Youth Theatre of Great Britain and his television work includes Jason in Our Girl for BBC Wales. He is Welsh MonologueSlam Champion, a title he won back in 2015 and he is also an emerging writer for various Welsh companies
Kayed graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in 2014 with an MA in Musical Theatre. Since then he has performed with National Theatre Wales in their pro-