Copyright Tom Foxall
Rehearsals are well under way and tickets are now available to book online for Shropshire Drama Company’s (SDC) forthcoming production – William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. Directed by Joanna Purslow and Rosalind Garrard, the outdoor performance will take place from 14 -19 June at the Holy Trinity Church green in Much Wenlock, as part of the town’s biennial arts festival.
Romeo & Juliet has been described as a dazzling combination of passion and hatred, bawdy comedy and high tragedy, set in a city torn apart by feuds and gang warfare. A powerful play, and one of Shakespeare’s most popular, it takes place over five days of summer when the ill-fated couple meet, fall in love, get married and then both tragically die.
In addition to the play, members of the cast who have been taking fencing lessons in preparation for a key fight scene at the beginning of performance will carry out a fenceathon in Shrewsbury’s Square on Saturday 01 May. With the aim of raising money for the production as well as local homeless charity Isaiah 58, actors will fence non-stop for four hours from 1pm to 5pm.
Commenting on the production, Joanna Purslow said: “Drawing its power from the passion, violent conflict and contrasts between youth and age, Romeo and Juliet will take the audience on a fast-paced journey through a range of emotions. We are especially happy to introduce some of Shropshire’s younger performers, whose vitality will inject energy, texture and dynamics to the production. Rosalind and I are confident that the beautiful Much Wenlock outdoor setting, enhanced by the Veronese inspired set and traditional costumes, will contribute towards a fabulous spectacle.”
Tickets for Romeo & Juliet are available to book online at www.muchwenlockfestival.co.uk.
Pictures: (Taken by Tom Foxall) Zoe Vernon as Juliet and Michael Beasley and Romeo.
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