Casting has been announced for East London Shakespeare  Festival’s riotous & atmospheric production of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet.

This new contemporary and  fast-moving telling provides summer delights for all the family, with an opportunity to enter this magical  world of star-crossed lovers in your local park. 

Set in a familiar modern East London, this story of secret loves and families at war will be vividly brought to  life by Nick Hardie (Witness for the Prosecution, London County Hall) as Romeo, and Emilia Harrild  (Macbeth, The Three Inch Fools, National tour) as Juliet. 

All other members of the cast will take on dual roles with Ursula Early (The Endings,  Soho Theatre) as the Nurse & the Prince, James Hyland (RSC) as Lord Capulet and Apothecary, Isambard Rawbone (A Midsummer’s  Night Dream, Iris Theatre) as Tybalt and Friar Lawrence, Chris Knight (The Southbury Child, Bridge Theatre) as Mercutio and Paris, and the  recently graduated Sadé Philpotts making her theatrical debut as Lady Capulet and Benvolio. Also joining the  company as the Apprentice Actor, Caitlin Stevenson will be playing several of the smaller roles including Lady Montague, Balthasar and Rosaline. 

Transforming areas across Hackney, Waltham Forest and Redbridge into the heady star-crossed nights  of Verona. ELSF merges the contemporary culture of East London with the inspirational storytelling of  Shakespeare’s plays in outdoor parks and community spaces across the area. Romeo & Juliet gives local  residents a memorable and unique experience of Shakespeare’s most famous love-story, with a festival  vibe and featuring a community cast of local residents at the Waltham Forest venues. 

For more information, please click here.