Search

Toggle dark mode:

Saved articles

You have not yet added any article to your bookmarks!

Browse articles

GDPR Compliance

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, Privacy Policy, and Terms of Service.

Star-crossed lovers launch south east Shakespeare programme

Richard Beck Richard Beck
4 Jul 2026

Theatres in the London boroughs continue to face the challenge of attracting audiences. James Haddrell, Artistic Director of Greenwich Theatre, writes about addressing this issue through new initiatives.

A theatrical celebration that can bridge and unite disparate audiences

I’ve worked in Greenwich for more than two decades, so I’ve seen huge changes in the local demographic. An area once dominated by large, expensive properties, with a hyper-local approach to culture – the theatre relied on a half-mile catchment area for its core audience – has now opened its proverbial doors. More affordable properties have been built and many of the large houses have been converted into smaller flats, so more young families and less old money now live in the area. Student numbers in Greenwich have increased, tourism has shifted from half-day visits to overnight stays, and improved transport links have both strengthened people’s ability to get to Greenwich easily and weakened the sense that Greenwich is an idyllic historic oasis cut off from the rest of the capital.

What that means is a greater ability to promote our work to audiences travelling in – residents from across London and tourists alike – to families beyond our annual pantomime, and to audiences from diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. The question, then, is how to programme for an audience that diverse. Is there something that can unite those disparate groups?

We have built a reputation as a supporter of emerging talent. Our in-house work has championed lesser-known titles by major living writers, and our pantomime regularly picks up awards. But if we want to speak to all of those people at the same time, how can we do that? The launch of Greenwich Theatre Productions marked a new commitment to presenting work across London, with shows at Kings Head Theatre, the Park Theatre and Southwark Playhouse. However, that’s not to say we’ve lost sight of our home in Greenwich. If our new producing wing aims to reach further afield, it remains crucial for us to share work with the particularly diverse audience of south-east London, and of Greenwich in particular.

One answer, which we have decided to test, is to go back to Shakespeare – a writer whose work has as many identities as we have audiences – so this summer we launch an annual in-house Shakespeare production.

So many people have a touchpoint with Shakespeare that his work offers a genuine opportunity to unite audiences. In the case of our choice for year one – Romeo and Juliet – audiences might be more closely connected with the iconic Franco Zeffirelli film, West Side Story, Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation, the National’s Covid-streamed production or Gnomeo & Juliet, but most people have a way into the story.

For our production, performed by a knockout cast of six astonishing actors, we’ve made it all about entertainment. We’ve infused the story with music, worked with one of the best fight directors in the business, and our designer has created a world where Verona sits on the line between bold architecture and the free world of nature – the line between Capulet and Montague, the line that Romeo and Juliet can meet across and ultimately destroy.

Under all of that – or perhaps driving it – we’ve held on to Shakespeare’s political spirit. Gender inequality, sexuality, ethnicity, religion, social inequality and political nepotism – he tackles them all, and we’d be remiss to ignore that. Romeo would not be able to buy poison if the apothecary were not trapped in poverty. The Capulets would not push so hard for an alliance with Paris if he were not related to the Prince. Maybe Lady Capulet would support her daughter more if she hadn’t been married off and become a mother by the age of 14.

So meet our Romeo, played by Blossom Timothy – a female Romeo finding her way in a male-dominated world, falling in love with the daughter of the fierce Capulets, played by Ava Honey in her professional debut. Meet our Lord Capulet, Matt Penson, whose heart is genuinely broken by the apparent death of his daughter but who is forced by social expectation to suppress his grief and occupy the role of patriarch. Meet our Mercutio, played by Nikita Johal – a female Mercutio railing against that masculine, heteronormative society at every turn. Meet our Paris, played by musical director James Aldred – a young man who is tragically and genuinely in love with a young woman who cannot love him. And meet our Friar, played by Charlotte Harwood – a woman as comfortable with the land as she is with heaven, battling against expectation to unify a city and protect the young people she strives to parent more than their actual parents.

In the search for a theatrical celebration that can bridge and unite disparate audiences, and one that can become an annual tradition, the longevity and diversity of Shakespeare’s work feels as though it could offer an answer. At the same time, the opportunity to challenge some of today’s divisive politics through this bold new production is a thrilling one.

Richard Beck

Richard Beck

A graduate in theology and education, Richard acted and contributed to dance, drama and music productions throughout his teaching career. He joined Broadway Baby in 2014 and is now our Editor-in-Chief. He usually disappears to warmer climes for the winter to pursue his passion for travel.

Related to this article:

The Producers
Titanique
The Play That Goes Wrong
Popular now
Les Miserables
Wicked
Lion King