Romeo and Juliet, Taking Flight Theatre
/Romeo and Juliet
Presented in English and BSL (British Sign Language)
Touring
Taking Flight Theatre's take on Romeo and Juliet set the tragic love story in 1963 with the Montagues and Capulets fighting it out on the river for the annual college boat race. The promenade performance featured many of the company's trademarks including lots of audience interaction, BSL by Sami Thorpe and live audio description. Taking Flight Theatre is a professional inclusive theatre company based in Cardiff, Wales who work to challenge perceptions of disability through accessible theatre performances.
Taking Flight Theatre
For More Information:
www.takingflighttheatre.co.uk
2016 Tour Locations and Dates:
Thompson's Park, Cardiff (16th-19th June)
Caerphilly Castle (21st June)
Denbigh Castle (23rd-25th June)
Loggerheads Country Park (26th June)
Tintern Abbey (29th June)
Cyfarthfa Castle, Merthyr Tydfil (30th June)
Allotment Crickhowell (1st July)
Unity Festival (3rd-4th July)
Tretower Court (6th July)
Blaise Castle Estate, Bristol (7th-10th July), as part of the Bristol Shakespeare Festival
Parc Cwm Darran (9th July)
Bryn Tirion Comprehensive, Bridgend (12th July)
Valle Crucis Abbel, Langollen (15th-16th July)
Rhuddlan Castle (17th July)
Cilgerran Castle (19th July)
Stackpole, near Pembroke (20th-23rd July)
Hilton Court, Haverfordwest (24th July)
Clyne Gardens, Swansea (26th July)
Pac Calon Lan, Bridgend (27th July)
Elan Valley, Powys (28th July)
Kidwelly Castle (29th July)
The Kymin, Penarth (30th July)
National Botanical Gardens, Camarthen (31st July)
Beechenhurst Lodge, Forest of Dean (1st August)
Selected Reviews: Buzz Mag review (4 stars): "Outdoor theatre is always a little bit more magical (even under a slightly grey Welsh sky) but there’s something even more magical about Taking Flight Theatre’s summer show, and their re-imagining of Romeo and Juliet. Set in 1963 against the backdrop of Verona College (and Verona Ladies’ college) the Montagues and Capulets are given a swinging 60s twist, complete with suitably swinging 60s music. Taking Flight are an inclusive theatre company-in terms of both audience and performers. This means that D/deaf actors are a part of the performance, as well as actors with physical disabilities, and the performance is fully inclusive for the audience with both BSL interpretation and audio description. This isn’t the kind of ‘add on’ inclusivity that audiences might expect, inclusivity is part of the performance." "The school and 1960s backdrop makes for a youthful energetic backdrop to the story. Adapted so that music, movement, audio description and sign interpretation mingle seamlessly with Shakespeare’s original text. The adaptation is a credit to director Elise Davison and it is an energetic engaging version of the classic text." "a wonderful introduction to Shakespeare for anyone young and old. The inclusive approach works for all audiences to engage them with the story and Shakespeare’s language. Most importantly Taking Flight are re-imagining both what Shakespeare looks like and what inclusive theatre looks like." http://www.buzzmag.co.uk/reviews/taking-flight-theatre-romeo-juliet-stage-review/
British Theatre Guide review: "Abigail Hiester is mesmerising as the production's BSL interpreter, fully integrated into the action, and all the more affecting for it." "If the performances lack subtlety at times, the vigour and vibrancy of this production is more than enough to keep its audiences enthralled. Taking Flight have mastered the art of staging an outdoor promenade production. As the audience is led through the park for another scene, glimpses can be caught through trees and rose bushes of the characters who have just exited, still rapt in the aftermath of the preceding scene. It's this attention to detail, this fluidity, which lends this production its magic."
http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/randjtaking-rev
