New Adventures and Birmingham Hippodrome are delighted to announce full casting for the world premiere of Matthew Bourne’s ROMEO AND JULIET which plays at Birmingham Hippodrome from Tuesday 10 – Saturday 14 September 2019. Tickets go on sale to Birmingham Hippodrome Friends from 11am on 29 November 2018 and public booking opens Monday 3 December 2018 – click here to become a Friend.

Matthew Bourne’s ROMEO AND JULIET is a passionate and contemporary re-imagining of Shakespeare’s classic love story. Bursting with youth, vitality and Matthew Bourne’s trademark storytelling, Britain’s brightest young dance talent join the New Adventures Company for this World Premiere production.

As part of New Adventures’ ambition to support the next generation of on-stage talent ROMEO AND JULIET will feature the finest emerging male and female dancers from around the UK. The search began in April 2018 with a call-out for young dancers currently in training aged between 16 and 19. Attracting over 1000 applications and following a UK-wide audition tour, Young Cast members will perform at each venue alongside the New Adventures Company.

Matthew Bourne said today “New Adventures’ Romeo and Juliet will be a celebration of youthful energy, talent and creativity both on and off-stage and, uniquely, in all aspects of Choreography, Design and Music through the appointment of a series of “Young Associate Artists”.   As we enter our fourth decade as a company I’m finding the development of young talent ever more important and fulfilling. Our new company of “Romeo and Juliet” features a staggering 97 young dancers making their debuts with us; some are joining us as part of their third year of training, others have come through our Company initiatives such as “Swan School”, “A Summer Adventure” and of course, our production of “Lord of the Flies” which inspired so many young men to seek careers in dance. This time we have focused on nurturing young male and female dancers, and I have been overwhelmed by the talent that we have had to choose from throughout the UK. I’m particularly happy to be working alongside my Young Associate Choreographer, Arielle Smith, an exceptional young dancemaker of great maturity and vision. In turn, after 30 years as a professional choreographer, I look forward to being refreshed and inspired by what this team of young artists will bring to Shakespeare’s classic tale of tragic conflict and young love”. 

Joining the full time cast, the run in Birmingham will feature five local young cast members making their debut with New Adventures;

Lewis Baker was born and raised in Walsall and is training at Flexus Dance Collective. He was inspired to dance as a boy having seen Matthew Bourne’s “Swan Lake” and he is delighted to have the chance to work with the genius behind that choreography.

Órla Baxendale was born in Bury and lives in Rossendale, Lancashire; and is currently training at Alvin Ailey and Elmhurst Ballet School.  The first full length production she saw was Matthew Bourne’s “Lord of the Flies” at the age of 13 which inspired her to become a dancer. She is thrilled to have the opportunity to work with her favourite dance company.

India-Rose Cox was born in Cheltenham and lives in Chester. She is training at The Hammond. A fan of Matthew Bourne’s productions, having previously seen “Sleeping Beauty”, “Cinderella” and “The Red Shoes”, she saw auditioning as a great opportunity to learn snippets of the repertoire she admires so much and for young people to take part in such an exciting project.

Savannah Ffrench was born in Leicester and lives in Uppingham. She is training at Kings International Ballet Academy. She loves New Adventures productions and sees this as an amazing opportunity.  She aspires to dance professionally as soon as she has taken her A-Levels and her goal is be part of a company like New Adventures.

Alexander Love was born and raised in Leicester and trained at the Centre for Advanced Training in Nottingham and Wigston School of Dance. After his amazing experience performing with New Adventures in “Lord of the Flies” in 2014 he knew he wanted to be part of “Romeo and Juliet”.

Enrique Ngbokota was born in South Africa and lives in West Sussex. He is training at Elmburst Ballet School. He returns to the Birmingham Hippodrome having performed as part of the Young Cast in “Lord of the Flies” in 2014. He wanted to audition for “Romeo and Juliet” because he knew first-hand what an amazing experience it would be having had such an awesome time with “Lord of the Flies”.

ROMEO AND JULIET plays at Birmingham Hippodrome from Tuesday 10 – Saturday 14 September 2019. Tickets go on sale to Birmingham Hippodrome Friends from 11am on 29 November 2018 and public booking opens Monday 3 December 2018 – click here to become a Friend.