Cast announced for Romeo and Juliet revival set across the streets of Guildford

Guildford Shakespeare Company (GSC) has unveiled the cast for their summer production of Romeo and Juliet.

The new interpretation of Shakespeare’s classic love story will take place along Guildford High Street, transforming the town centre into an immersive theatre space.

In the lead roles of Romeo and Juliet are Christian James, known for The Enfield Poltergeist (Apple TV) and Magic Goes Wrong (West End), and April Hughes, who has starred in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and The Play That Goes Wrong (West End).

The cast also includes Laura Matthews as Lady Capulet/Tybalt, Chris Porter as Lord Capulet, David Carr as Friar Laurence, Emma Manton as Nurse/Prince, Luke Latchman as Benvolio/Paris, and Daniel Burke as Mercutio/Lord Montague. They will be joined by a Community Ensemble comprising adults and young people from four local schools and GSC’s drama groups.

Audiences will follow the unfolding drama through Guildford’s landmarks, including the Guildhall balcony, Abbot’s Hospital, and concluding in the Guildford Castle gardens.

To coincide with the production, GSC is launching a significant outreach initiative focused on knife crime awareness. This includes workshops in local schools and a special event at Guildford Cathedral on 3 July to address and explore the issue.

Romeo and Juliet will run from 21 June to 13 July. It is adapted by Sarah Gobran and Matt Pinches and directed by Pinches, while the creative team features set and costume design by Neil Irish, sound design by Matt Eaton, movement, assistant design and costume supervision by Anett Black, movement and co-direction by Indiana Lown-Collins, and fight direction by Philip d’Orléans.