Polka Theatre’s Artistic Director and Joint Chief Executive Helen Matravers and the whole team announce further details for the premiere of a new hip-hop production of Romeo and Juliet recommended for 9 – 12+ year olds, which will play at the Wimbledon venue 2 March – 14 April 2024, with a press performance on Saturday 9 March at 2.30pm.
A remixed tale of star-crossed lovers
How much would you risk for the person you love?
Forced apart by generations of hatred, young eyes meet across a South London dancefloor on a fateful night that will change their lives forever.
It’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’, but as you’ve never heard it before.
Put down your swords and pick up your mics, after all, the course of true love never did run smooth.
Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare’s most famous story, will be re-told through rap, rhythms, and beautiful harmonies, in collaboration with Beats & Elements’ Conrad Murray and Lakeisha Lynch-Stevens – the makers behind ‘Frankenstein: How to make a Monster’, ‘Pied Piper the Hip Hop Family Musical’ and ‘High Rise State of Mind’, alongside cast members Kate Donnachie (‘Unexpected Twist’, ‘Pied Piper the Hip Hop Musical’) and Khai Shaw (‘Little Baby Jesus’, Orange Tree, ‘Much Ado About Nothing’, RSC).
The collective will transpose the action to South London in a 60-minute version. A new track ‘Star Crossed Lovers’ has also been released today here.
Conrad Murray said, “It is great to be making this show with Polka, as (like many others) it was there that I had my first ever theatre experience on a school trip. I lived in Mitcham and my Grandma lived in South Wimbledon, so it was always this amazing factory of magic that was on our doorstep. Often, we would come in, just to walk about the gift shop and look at the cool things. I wrote an essay on a play I watched there when I was 14, and my social worker would take me there on our daytrips. It’s actually a little daunting – like playing for your team on their home ground!”
Polka will also tour the show to 12 schools in Merton and across local boroughs as part of a new pilot touring scheme, building on their commitment to offering accessible theatre to school children in the local area, at a time when school budgets are increasingly under pressure. All schools are provided with a free teacher resource pack to facilitate further exploration of the show’s curriculum links and customised show-focused workshops are also available.
Debbie Fossey from Kings Oak Primary School in New Malden, said,
“To be able to watch the production of Romeo and Juliet in school is a wonderful opportunity for our Upper Key Stage 2 pupils… It’s an excellent opportunity to further develop the children’s cultural capital at a fraction of the cost… As a school, we are excited that Polka Theatre are offering this opportunity to schools.”
Headteacher Michael Bradley said,
“The proper place to meet Shakespeare is through theatre – and that goes for children as well as adults. We often get Shakespeare wrong in the classroom. Polka’s production connects children with the energy and vibrant power of Shakespeare – and it connects children with the very experience of theatre itself.”
Polka Artistic Director Helen Matravers said, “I am so excited Polka are producing this show, and especially in collaboration with Beats & Elements. Their take on traditional storytelling is compelling, unique and bold – and this makes way for something really special with Romeo and Juliet (set in South London!). We are focusing on serving an audience who are currently incredibly underserved by the whole theatre ecology. The 9-12 year olds who are at risk of falling out of love with the joy and inspiration that theatre can bring, and rather see it as a curricular activity – one to learn from, rather than be enthralled by. This show is a brilliant example of taking Shakespeare and having fun with its form, relevance and style. It’s sung, rapped and beat-boxed throughout – something really different for Polka audiences.
As part of Polka’s commitment to ensuring as many children as possible have access to theatre, we are building on our Curtain Up! programme and taking this show on a Schools tour. Removing the increasingly unaffordable barriers of transport and additional staffing, we hope that schools with large multi-form years are able to take advantage of the benefits of the production, introducing them to an accessible version of Shakespeare and at an age where so many children become disengaged with the joy and confidence that theatre can bring.”
Conrad Murray continues, “This is Beats & Elements’ first time at making a show especially for children, and working with Shakespeare – so we are doubly excited to create something new and hopefully timeless. Having that local connection, and being that we are quite a diverse group from migrant families, bringing in beats, music and modern sounds seems really special and important on our journey with this collaboration with Polka.”
Tickets are on sale now via polkatheatre.com or call 020 8543 4888*
Polka Theatre is one of just a handful of dedicated children’s venues in the UK. Re-opening in 2021 after a major renovation, Polka continues to present a year-round programme of shows produced by Polka and from visiting companies. Polka also offers a full programme of creative learning activities for ages 0–12, with over 21,000 children taking part in the last year. Polka enjoys flexible rehearsal and workshop spaces along with two performance spaces: the Main Theatre has a 300-seat capacity, and the Adventure Theatre can seat up to 90 depending on the show format.
Polka is a community hub and vital resource, open 6 days per week, 50 weeks per year at a challenging time to be a sustainable public venue with step-free access, free-to-access play spaces and a cosy and welcoming café and shop.
