Romeo and Juliet Back on Broadway
Romeo and Juliet , Shakespeare’s immortal story of love and tragedy will once again see the lights of Broadway next year.
In a recent one on one exclusive interview with me, “Cinderella” director Kenneth Branagh told me his next major project was to bring Romeo and Juliet to the stage.
“I have the perfect cast for the lead roles. Lily James and Richard Madden.”
James and Madden both star in Branagh’s new film “Cinderella, “ currently in theaters now.
Lily James is seen in the role of “Lady Rose” on the British mega-hit series “Downton Abbey” which will end in the series 6th season. The drama became the most nominated non-U.S. show in Emmys history with 51 nominations and has won three Golden Globes.
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Richard Madden is seen on HBO’s “Game of Thrones” as Robb Stark. The Scottish-born actor has just completed filming “Bastille Day” with actor Idris Elba.
The play will go into rehearsals late this year or early next year with an eye to open the Shakespeare play sometime in late 2016.
“Romeo and Juliet” has been adapted numerous times for stage, film, musical and opera.
During the English Restoration, it was revived and heavily revised by William Davenant.
David Garricks 18th-century version also modified several scenes, removing material then considered indecent, and Georg Benda’s operatic adaptation omitted much of the action and added a happy ending.
Performances in the 19th century, including Charlotte Cushman’s, restored the original text, and focused on greater realism. John Gielgud’s 1935 version kept very close to Shakespeare’s text, and used Elizabethan costumes and staging to enhance the drama.
In the 20th and into the 21st century, the play has been adapted in versions as diverse as George Cukor’s comparatively faithful 1936 production.
Baby boomers hold Franco Zeffirelli’s 1968 version as the best adaptation, the film starred Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey.
For his 1996 film Romeo + Juliet, Baz Luhrmann updated the story by taking it to the streets, with Leonardo DiCaprio and Clare Daines.
The story was also adapted into the Broadway hit “West Side Story” and in 2013 the plot was updated for the big screen in the Zombie love story “Warm Bodies.”
