Theatre Review | Romeo & Juliet [New Vic Theatre]

Review by Dan Townley

Every now and then you go to the theatre and everything just works. The performances, the staging, the music, the atmosphere, everything comes together in a way that reminds you exactly why live theatre is so special.

The New Vic Theatre and Not Too Tame’s Romeo & Juliet is one of those productions.

Quite simply, it’s one of the best pieces of theatre I’ve watched in a long time - that is a bold statement, especially three lines into the review, I know.  

I knew going in, after being told how good this production is, that this was going to be a very different take on Shakespeare’s story, but I don’t think I expected it to work quite as brilliantly as it does.

This version takes Shakespeare’s famous lovers out of their teenage years and places Romeo and Juliet in their 40s, giving a story we all think we know a completely different emotional weight. Russell Kane takes on Romeo opposite Natalie Casey as Juliet, in a production directed by Jimmy Fairhurst and adapted by Fairhurst alongside Louise Haggerty and Andrew Butler.

It’s a concept that could easily have felt like a gimmick. Instead, it gives the story a new heartbeat.

Russell Kane is phenomenal as Romeo. If you go in thinking primarily of Kane as a comedian, it really doesn’t take long before you forget about that completely.

Of course, his comic timing is brilliant, and there are moments where his stand-up comedy experience adds weight to moments to draw out laughs, but there’s so much more to his performance. He throws himself into the role and gives Romeo real vulnerability, frustration, humour and heart.

Opposite him is the outstanding Natalie Casey as Juliet. She brings so much warmth to the role and the chemistry between the two of them is absolutely vital to the production. You have to buy into their relationship. If you don’t, the whole thing falls apart. Thankfully, you do.

And while Russell Kane and Natalie Casey are obviously the headline names, this is absolutely a production where the whole cast deserves credit.

Andrew Butler as Peter, Kieran Foster as Benvolio, 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 are all superb.

There genuinely isn’t a weak performance. Ray Sesay takes on the role of Mercutio and is one of the real standouts for me, and brings so much energy whenever he’s on stage, while Louise Haggerty’s Nurse is full of personality and humour at the right moments.

Patrick Knowles does a brilliant job switching between Friar and Tybalt, while David Nellist is equally impressive taking on Montague and Paris.

Kieran Foster, Lizzie Hopley and Andrew Butler all play their part in making the whole thing feel like a real, lived-in world rather than a group of people simply delivering Shakespeare. That’s probably one of the things I enjoyed most about the production. It feels alive, but most importantly, accessible, especially as some (me included!) may think Shakespeare isn't for them... how wrong I was! 

Jimmy Fairhurst’s direction gives the show loads of energy, but it never loses the emotion underneath it all. There are plenty of modern touches, but none of them feel forced, and at no point does it feel like someone has sat down and thought, “Hey, how do we make Shakespeare cool?”

I often find music selection in a show that doesn't usually have it can feel forced, whereas within this it feels just right. It’s used brilliantly throughout and becomes part of the production rather than feeling shoehorned to be edgy.

One minute it’s helping create a real sense of fun and celebration, the next it completely changes the atmosphere and pulls you into something much darker.

In the New Vic’s theatre-in-the-round setting, everything feels even more immediate. There’s nowhere for the actors to hide and nowhere for the audience to really switch off either. You’re right there in amongst it. At times, it genuinely feels like you’re part of what’s happening rather than just watching from the outside. There are huge laughs, moments of real tension and, obviously, plenty of heartbreak.

But perhaps the biggest compliment I can give the production is that you know exactly how Romeo and Juliet ends and yet somehow, just for a moment, you find yourself hoping this version might turn out differently.

That’s quite an achievement when you’re dealing with one of the most famous stories ever written.

The New Vic and Not Too Tame have taken a story nearly everybody knows and made it feel exciting again.

It’s funny, moving, energetic, brilliantly performed and incredibly well put together. More than anything, it’s just a fantastic night at the theatre.

Romeo and Juliet at the New Vic Theatre is one of the best productions I’ve seen in a long time and an absolute must-see.

★★★★★

Romeo & Juliet runs at the New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, until Saturday 10 October 2026. Get your tickets at newvictheatre.org.uk