Russell Kane to Star in Romeo and Juliet at the New Vic

Photo credit: Patch Dolan

Russell Kane plays Romeo in this exhilarating new production of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy, in a first-time collaboration between the New Vic and acclaimed theatre company Not Too Tame, from Thursday 17th September to Saturday 10th October 2026 at New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Directed by Not Too Tame artistic director Jimmy Fairhurst, this retelling imagines the star-crossed lovers meeting later in life, repositioning the story from a perspective of age and experience, with the title characters aged in their 40s.

Fairhurst said: ‘Romeo and Juliet is our third Shakespeare adaptation and it’ll be the one that packs the biggest punch. I’m incredibly excited to be making this show with the New Vic in their exquisite theatrical coliseum. I’m also thrilled to be working with a performer of Russell Kane’s calibre and dedication as we unleash him into the world of theatre as you’ve never seen him before. In early research and development we discovered that ageing the families up unlocks something powerful and painfully familiar for modern audiences. The audience will be heavily involved in this production. I guarantee it will be as funny as it is heartbreaking. Buckle up!’

New Vic artistic director Theresa Heskins said: ‘I’m delighted that in our 40th anniversary year, we’re announcing a programme that will showcase our core values – that everyone should have access to great theatre; that local talent should be prized and nurtured; that young people’s first experiences of theatre should inspire them with a lifetime’s love for it.

‘We’ll be collaborating with Not Too Tame for the first time as we stage Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Our philosophy that theatre should be for everyone perfectly aligns with Not Too Tame’s ethos and will deliver an unapologetically bold reinterpretation of this classic play.’