ROMEO + JULIET to Join Watermill's TWELFTH NIGHT on Tour

Following an incredibly successful 2016 run at The Watermill Theatre, Paul Hart's Romeo + Juliet will be performed in repertoire alongside a brand new production of Twelfth Night. This exciting national tour celebrates the theatre's 50th anniversary.

The Watermill's outstanding ensemble of actor-musicians challenge the way live music is used and alongside text, they investigate new responses to Shakespeare, creating a thrilling contemporary feel.

Returning to reprise their roles in Romeo + Juliet and to perform in Twelfth Night are Victoria Blunt (Benvolio/Maria), Rebecca Lee (Friar/Viola), Lauryn Redding (Nurse/Toby Belch), Mike Slader (Paris/Aguecheek) and Stuart Wilde (Romeo/Sebastian). Joining them are Peter Dukes (Tybalt/Malvolio) who played the role of Bela Zangler in The Watermill's Crazy For You (2016), Aruhan Galieva (Juliet/Olivia), Emma McDonald (Lady Capulet/Antonia), Offue Okegbe (Mercutio/Feste) and Jamie Satterthwaite (Capulet/Orsino).

This powerful and explosive staging of Romeo + Juliet, Shakespeare's immortal tale of an all-consuming love, features music by Mumford and Sons, The Vaccines, The Civil Wars and Hozier. Twelfth Night's dreamlike fantasy world is evocatively reimagined in the 1920s where prohibition is rife and Europe is still reeling from war. Fusing the radical spirit of the likes of Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong alongside modern musical references with an innovative approach to staging and actor-musicianship, Twelfth Night is a dizzying and beautiful version of Shakespeare's 'perfect play'.

The Watermill has become known for its bold, contemporary style of presenting Shakespeare productions. These plays balance comedy, romance and tragedy using their famous ensemble approach to Shakespeare.

The Watermill Theatre's Artistic Director, Paul Hart, comments, Since being at The Watermill I've wanted to continue our reputation for inventive, irreverent and imaginative storytelling. Twelfth Night and Romeo + Juliet seemed to me to be the perfect pairing of plays. They will be performed by a brilliant ensemble of actors in a way that is incredibly rich in music with a real focus on the language. I'm looking forward to seeing these productions tour the UK and beyond as well as playing at our beautiful Berkshire home.

The UK Tour of Twelfth Night and Romeo + Juliet is sponsored by Neal's Yard Remedies.

www.watermill.org.uk