Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare

Rose Bruford, 2025

I began my teaching and directing career in the UK at Rose Bruford in 1988. Director, Phil Young invited me to do a production of True Dare Kiss by Debbie Horsefield with second year students and it was the most invigorating and inspiring introduction to Conservatoire Actor training programmes. The college was superb in every way under the leadership of Vladimir Miroden and Tony Hossier and the students were exceptional and many from the cast continue to be major players in the industry. After True Dare Kiss I went on to do Serious Money by Caryl Churchill , The Seagull and The Three Sisters by Chekhov and Road by Jim Cartwright. It was a magical time and I owe so much to Rose Bruford and that leadership who set me on my way. 

It was my absolute pleasure to return there almost thirty-five years later to do a production of Romeo and Juliet for their Poetic Text season. Returning to the beautiful Lamorbey Park site where the campus is situated was nostalgic and I was delighted to recognise some of the old buildings and thrilled to see the cleverly designed expansion. 

I looked to the NT @ Home version of Romeo and Juliet adapted by Emily Burns and directed by Simon Godwin to find my inspiration. This production is clear, accessible, light on it's feet and extremely moving and poignant and it provided a guiding light for the work. 

The students from the 2025 cohort in their second year of training stepped up to the mark and delivered with the commitment, intensity and speed which was needed to deliver this one hour twenty version. It was such a pleasure to step back in time to where it all began and find the standard and passion fully intact.