Romeo and Juliet Review: Russell Kane and Natalie Casey Turn Tragedy Into a Midlife Comedy

A new staging of Romeo and Juliet at the New Vic in Newcastle-under-Lyme takes a markedly different approach to Shakespeare's tragedy, casting older, experienced performers in the title roles rather than the youthful pairing audiences typically expect.

The production, a collaboration between the New Vic and the theatre company Not Too Tame, leans into comedy alongside the play's familiar romantic tragedy. Natalie Casey plays Juliet, while Russell Kane takes on Romeo, with the pair's chemistry framed less as a rebellious first love and more as an enthusiastic midlife romance.

Staging choices reinforce the shift in tone. The Capulets' party, traditionally a formal gathering, is reworked here as a raucous Balearic-style celebration around a swimming pool, with the character Tybalt, played by Patrick Knowles, serving as its DJ. In another modern flourish, Juliet prepares for the party to a chamber orchestra rendition of Madonna's "Like a Virgin."

Despite the age of the two leads, the production keeps some of the play's original textual details intact, including a line from the nurse, played by Louise Haggerty, referencing Juliet's age with Shakespeare's original precision, adding a layer of tension between the text and the staging's reimagined casting.

The show is currently running at the New Vic in Newcastle-under-Lyme through 10 October.