The New Vic Theatre and Not Too Tame have announced further casting for their upcoming production of Romeo & Juliet, a new adaptation that imagines Shakespeare’s iconic star-crossed lovers meeting later in life.
Running at the New Vic Theatre in Newcastle-under-Lyme from 17 September to 10 October 2026, the production marks the first collaboration between the theatre-in-the-round and Not Too Tame.
Previously announced cast members Russell Kane and Natalie Casey will lead the company as Romeo and Juliet respectively, with Kane making his stage debut opposite the acclaimed television and theatre performer.
Joining them are Andrew Butler as Peter, Louise Haggerty as Nurse, Lizzie Hopley as Capulet, Patrick Knowles as Friar and Tybalt, David Nellist as Montague and Paris, and Ray Sesay as Mercutio.
Directed by Not Too Tame Artistic Director Jimmy Fairhurst, the production revisits Shakespeare’s tragedy through the lens of middle age, exploring what happens when first love arrives after decades of life experience, relationships and emotional baggage.
The adaptation has been created by Jimmy Fairhurst, Louise Haggerty and Andrew Butler, and developed with the support of the New Vic Theatre.
Rather than focusing on teenage passion, this reimagining examines the complexities of adult relationships while retaining the intensity, danger and romance at the heart of Shakespeare’s original story.
Fairhurst said: “Our third Shakespeare title brings a genuinely exceptional cast to a stage outside London, proof that world-class Shakespeare doesn’t need a West End postcode. What excites me most is the range in this company. We’ve got world-class performers from a variety of backgrounds stepping into Shakespeare for the first time alongside others who’ve built careers on it, and this mix creates something vibrantly alive from a squad that is ready and willing to take risks.
“Ageing Romeo & Juliet into their forties in 2026 will ask audiences to re-examine the relationships, friendships and blood ties in Shakespeare’s greatest love story, and in doing so might hold up an uncomfortable mirror to some relationships in their own lives. Romeo and Juliet is one of the most performed plays in the English language, which means audiences think they know exactly what they’re getting. My job, and this company’s job, is to make sure they don’t. We want people leaving the theatre having felt something they didn’t expect from a story they thought they already knew.”
The creative team includes designer Loren Elstein, lighting designer Daniella Beattie, sound designer Patch Middleton, choreographer and movement director PaddyJoe Martin, fight director Kenan Ali, vocal coach Anita Gilbert and assistant director Kayleigh Hawkins.
Romeo & Juliet opens at the New Vic Theatre on 17 September and runs until 10 October 2026 as part of the venue’s 40th anniversary programme. The production is recommended for audiences aged 14+ and contains depictions of violence.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
