Romeo and Juliet with a difference at Mold

Jul 15 2010

Romeo and Juliet

IMAGINE viewing one of the most iconic plays of all time, performed in some of Wales' most stunning outdoor locations.

This idyllic experience is exactly what one Welsh theatre company offers its audience as they bring their latest production, the Shakespearean masterpiece Romeo and Juliet, to various venues of cultural heritage all over Wales.

But outdoor performances in beautiful venues are not the only thing that makes the Taking Flight theatre company unique. The 10- strong cast are a combination of physically disabled, sensory impaired and non-disabled performers, all of whom have been trained professionally in the theatre.

Their aim is to make the theatre accessible to everybody, and the result is a fresh, colourful and interactive take on a timeless classic.

Beth House, who co- founded the company, explained: "One of the benefits of performing in the outdoors is that it’s all accessible to the audience.

"They will be led around the venue by the performers, and there’s a lot of interaction between us and the audience.

"Children love it because they are able to come to the front and see things they normally wouldn’t, like the actors preparing behind the scenes. Children are treated specially in these shows."

The company caters to people of all ages and also offers aid to the sensory impaired, including an audio description for blind or partially sighted people and sign language for the deaf.

Beth helped form Taking Flight after they worked together on a youth theatre project in Llanelli. The company is supported by the Arts Council Wales and the Millennium Stadium Charitable Trust.

It also aims to work with people who, because of their disability, may otherwise have been typecast. One of the actors has cerebral palsy and is a wheelchair user, but is this way able to push the boundaries of what he is physically capable of doing.

Beth's brother Tom, who is partially sighted, is also a member of the cast as both a musician and actor.

Beth, 34, added: "A lot of the play is very physical, and a lot of the reaction we get is, you can’t ask people who are physically disabled to do physical things. But it’s just a celebration of people’s physical abilities."

She will be playing the role of Tybalt in the play. "It's a very small role," she said. "Last year I played three characters, and because I produce the play as well, it can be a bit stressful and get a bit too much.

"Having a woman play the role of Tybalt is not entirely new, but it is interesting because it adds another layer to the performance. It does bring out other elements in the script and is a good experiment."

She added: "We bring a lot of colour and a lot of humour to the play - I think when people come to watch an outdoor performance, they want it to be fun and enjoyable.

"I'm really excited now - we have just finished rehearsing a fight scene, so we’re really looking forward to being able to perform it in front of an audience."

Romeo and Juliet at Loggerheads Country Park, Mold, on August 17 and Caernarfon Castle on August 18. To book tickets, visit takingflighttheatre.com