A production of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet by students from Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) is touring schools across Dorset and Hampshire before opening to the public at the Palace Court Theatre.
Romeo and Juliet will be performed by students from AUB Productions, a collaboration between industry professionals and students from courses within Bournemouth Film School, including BA (Hons) Acting, BA (Hons) Costume, BA (Hons) Design for Costume and Performance, and BA (Hons) Make-Up for Media and Performance.
“Last year’s school tour with Macbeth was such a phenomenal success that we knew we had to do it again this year,” says Jonny Hoskins, Creative Producer at AUB Productions.
“This year’s been the same. We sold out really quickly and have another, much longer waiting list for next year! It's great to be able to support local schools and teachers as they inspire and introduce the next generation to Shakespeare.”
From Wednesday 6 November through to Friday 15 November, AUB Productions’ Romeo and Juliet will perform at schools across Dorset and Hampshire including Poole Grammar School, Poole High School, Queen Elizabeth School, The Burgate School, Oak Academy, and Durlston Court School.
Director Fiona Ross says, “As a theatre director and Associate with the Royal Shakespeare Company, I am passionate about offering Shakespeare’s plays to everyone, reclaiming them from the world of academia and placing the stories in a world that resonates with a contemporary audience.
“I always enjoy coming back to AUB to direct. The students never fail to bring energy, a sense of curiosity and commitment to rehearsals supported by a dedicated team of lecturers, producers and talented designers at the start of their careers, and a professional production team. I’m especially excited that this production is touring schools, as many young people don’t get the chance to experience a theatre production.”
Assistant director and third-year BA (Hons) Acting student Owen Hudson, who plays Paris in the play, comments, “When I was 13, my school participated in a Shakespeare competition in which multiple schools from across Birmingham performed a shortened version of a popular Shakespeare play. I played Banquo in Macbeth. This was one of my first experiences with Shakespeare's work and it was incredible.
“Learning his language through performance made it so much easier to understand the text and character intentions. Being able to sit and watch the other performances also created a clearer story especially when it came to watching then studying Romeo and Juliet for GCSE English.”
Fellow BA (Hons) Acting student Rebecca McKinnon plays the Prince and the Apothecary, and also served as Fight Captain – the cast member that leads on daily fight rehearsals.
“Being from a small corner of northeast Scotland, my Academy had very limited drama,” Rebecca says. “I wish there had been a Shakespeare tour that had come to my school, as this would have opened so many more doors for me. I am glad to be a part of this school tour and hopefully bring excitement to the students we will be performing for.”
Following the tour, AUB Productions will then bring Romeo and Juliet to the Palace Court Theatre for two performances on Saturday 16 November.
Jonny Hoskins says, “It’s the first performance of the season from AUB Productions at the theatre and we’re all really looking forward to it.
“Having such a fantastic space is so valuable for students and really enhances their real-life experiences on the course. And it’s great for the public too; they can come and see one of Bournemouth’s few surviving Art Deco theatres in action and see emerging performance artists make their mark.”
Romeo and Juliet will be shown at 14.30 and again at 18.30 on Saturday 16 November at the Palace Court Theatre, Hinton Road, in Bournemouth’s town centre. For the matinée (14.30) performance, tickets are Pay What You Can (PWYC); for the evening performance, tickets are £10 for adults, or £4 for concessions.
