Monday 7 June 2010, 11:05
I was feeling a touch of 'ye olde first night nerves' as the first of the three episodes of When Romeo Met Juliet aired on BBC Two last Friday evening.
It was almost a year ago since we started auditioning well over 150 potential young actors - all expectant hopefuls ready for the chance to be in one of the world's best known plays. Or did they just want to be on TV?
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Well, whatever their expectations were, nothing could prepare any of us for what lay ahead in the next few weeks. And that's the point.
For mentors and actors Adrian Lester and Lolita Chakrabarti, and for me, artistic director of the National Youth Theatre and director of Romeo and Juliet, this was all new territory and I'd be lying if I said at times I was not out of my comfort zone!
Some of these young people have never done theatre before, let alone Shakespeare. Some had never even been to the theatre. Not so uncommon, perhaps, with a generation high-wired up to instant communication, but the complete lack of understanding of the challenges of staging a live show in a professional theatre was, at times, to test my control freak-like nature!
Our chosen location was Shakespeare's county of Warwickshire but it was a thousand miles away from the tourist-trod cobbled streets of Stratford-upon-Avon. Cleverly, our home was to be Coventry - a town with a dramatic history and a perfect place to stage our own dramatic challenge.
We were all made incredibly welcome by the two contrasting schools we auditioned in and I remember being bombarded by cake, biscuits and bowls of fruit heavily laden on the audition panel table, like a scene from an old Derek Jarman movie.
Would the children be able to take the pressure and the discipline of the next few weeks or would the tragic tale of Romeo and Juliet be mirrored by some tragic behaviour in the rehearsal room?
It is brilliant that the BBC has committed to such a challenging, collaborative, and life-changing programme using Shakespeare and theatre as the hook. And for me, it was also great to sit on the BBC Breakfast news sofa to have the chance to discuss the virtues of the show.
Paul Roseby is artistic director of the National Youth Theatre and is the director of the play Romeo and Juliet within the TV programme When Romeo Met Juliet.
Part one of the show is available on iPlayer until Saturday, 19 June. Parts two and three air on BBC Two at 9pm on Friday, 11 June and Saturday, 12 June respectively.
For details on repeats and upcoming shows see When Romeo Met Juliet
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Friday 4 June 2010, 10:57
Tuesday 8 June 2010, 12:32
Comment number 1.
Jane8th June 2010 - 20:21
I watched the programme with great interest having just been involved in supporting a group of complex disabled young people to take on the challenge of Romeo and Juliet. We spent a week with a local theatre company and 25 young people got involved and the impact and achievement was stunning. Young people were wholly involved in the project no matter how disabled. We weren't able to stick to the whole script but did include alot and to see your young people getting to grips with the language made me recognise the achievement of our young people was immense. We used a lot of sensory improvisation and decided to make the performance at the end of the week site specific in a local stately home.
I can't wait to see how your young people progress with the project next week.
One thing I learnt is that Shakespeare isn't to be feared but embraced and boy does it open your heart and mind.
Jane
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Comment number 2.
Paul Roseby11th June 2010 - 11:53
Hi Jane,
Many thanks for your positive comments about When Romeo and Juliet, and it sounds like you are an expert in working in very challenging circumstances! I am thrilled to hear that you too believe disability is not a barrier to live performance or indeed that Shakespeare is not a barrier to your methods of engagement.
As you clearly know through experience, Theatre is a great tool for positive social change. Keep up the valuable work!
Best wishes
Paul.
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Comment number 3.
Ripley7911th June 2010 - 14:35
This was a great programme and I can't wait to see the outcome in performance over the weekend. It's proof that there are some very talented young people out there who just need the opportunity to grasp something like Shakespeare and get involved in theatre as a way to gain confidence and have something to work towards. I'm involved in a local amateur theatre and to have the forum to go in and learn new skills and work on developing characters and the confidence from that is invaluable. Great show and hope this encourages others to take on the mantle and get involved!
Ellie, Newcastle upon Tyne
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Comment number 4.
peter b12th June 2010 - 2:00
It was marvelous to see the understanding of shakespearean language grow within the cast, i'm sure for all of them their must of been that magic moment when you first "get" shakespeare. The program should be applauded for showing teenagers in a positive and warm light. I am watching the clock in anticipation of the final episode. Thank you Paul and the Beeb. I hope this inspires others to take the time to appreciate the wonderful story teller and intuitive observationist of the human animal that shakespeare was.
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Comment number 5.
edz12th June 2010 - 3:02
I just wanted to say the show is actually brilliant! Being an eighteen year old shakespeare geek i think it is really cool that you are giving young people around my age the oppertunity to be a part of something amazing, as unfortunately the media doesnt normally portray us in a positive way. Can't wait to see the final performance, it keeps my mind off my a level exams!!
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