Older actors take on roles of Romeo and Juliet in Ben Power's re-working of Shakespeare's most famous love story
05 October 2009
A Tender Thing
By Ben Power
A World Premiere
Directed by Helena Kaut Howson
Designed by Neil Murray
At Northern Stage, Newcastle upon Tyne
29 October - 7 November
National Press Night: Wednesday 4 November at 7.30pm
Award-winning writer Ben Power has created a re-working of Romeo and Juliet called A Tender Thing. This new play for the RSC premieres at Northern Stage and is part of the RSC's annual residency in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Ben is the Literary Associate of Headlong Theatre where his work has included Six Characters in Search of an Author and Faustus. He was dramaturg on A Disappearing Number for Complicité which won the 2007 Evening Standard Critics' Circle and Olivier awards for Best New Play.
Ben Power has woven the text of Romeo and Juliet into a provocative new tale of a love that fears no challenge. A Tender Thing is an elegiac yet ultimately hopeful account of the depth and power of the human capacity for love.
When asked what had inspired him to write the play, Ben Power said: "It arose from a discussion with Michael Boyd (the RSC's Artistic Director) about how we might make the poetry of Romeo and Juliet available for older performers. I was fascinated to see if it was possible to investigate a very different kind of relationship, a different kind of love, using the words that Shakespeare gave to his teenage protagonists."
"I wanted to challenge some of the assumptions we make about older people, particularly in terms of their romantic lives, whilst at the same time making the case that what Shakespeare has written is universal, transcending the specific circumstances of the original play."
A two-hander, RSC Associate Kathryn Hunter plays Juliet and Forbes Masson plays Romeo. The characters they play are in their seventies.
Kathryn Hunter's other roles in the RSC ensemble will include Gavrilo in the RSC's production of Natalia Vorozhbit's new Ukrainian play The Grain Store, Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra and The Fool in King Lear in 2010. Her many acting credits in theatre also include: an Olivier award winning role in The Visit for the National Theatre, Fragments for the Young Vic, Bouffes du Nord and Richard III for The Globe as well as the title role in King Lear for Leicester Haymarket and Tokyo Globe. She directed the RSC's recent touring production of Othello which visited Northern Stage.
Forbes Masson was part of the RSC's Histories ensemble and is part of the current Ensemble. His current roles include Jacques in As You Like It (which will open the Newcastle Theatre Royal Season) and Samson in the RSC's new Ukrainian play The Grain Store. In 2010 his RSC roles will include the Friar in Romeo and Juliet and he will appear in Morte d'Arthur and Little Eagles. He recently played the fool in King Lear with Pete Postlethwaite at the Liverpool Playhouse and Young Vic and stars in the cult comedy programme, The High Life with Alan Cumming. He has written plays and musicals and is an Associate Artist of the National Theatre of Scotland.
Ben Power commented on the casting of Forbes and Kathryn as Romeo and Juliet:
"Kathryn and Forbes are two of my favourite actors in the world and my first choices for both parts. They're very rare in that they both have the ability to do extremely brave things, to take huge risks on stage, whilst at the same time being able to communicate very clearly and simply on an emotional level."
"They are both performers who have the capacity to really, really move you without becoming indulgent or overly-sentimental and that's crucial to this play."
Joining award-winning Polish director Helen Kaut Howson on the creative team are designer Neil Murray, lighting designer Vince Herbert, video designer Jacques Collin, composer John Woolf, sound designer Mike Compton and movement director Lucy Cullingford.
For further information, photographs, interviews or a full Q&A with Ben Power, please contact Nada Zakula on 01789 412622 or 07831 766086.
For press tickets please contact Dean Asker on 01789 412660.
Date of issue: 2 October 2009
Notes to editors:
A Tender Thing is part of the RSC's annual residency in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The residency takes place at the Theatre Royal, Northern Stage and Live Theatre and runs from 20 October – 7 November 2009. The repertoire also includes:
Theatre Royal
As You Like It (20-24 October)
The Winter's Tale (27-31 October)
Julius Caesar (3-7 September)
The Comedy of Errors (7 November following a tour of schools in the region)
All by William Shakespeare
The Castle (A reading on 21 October)
By Howard Barker
(Part of '21 for 21', a festival celebrating the 21st anniversary of the founding of Barker's Theatre company, The Wrestling School)
Northern Stage
Days of Significance (21-24 October)
By Roy Williams
A Tender Thing
By Ben Power
Live Theatre
Tyneside Stories
Five writers respond to the landscape, characters and voices of Newcastle
The work of the RSC Literary Department is generously supported by The Drue Heinz Trust.
The RSC's New Work is generously supported by Christopher Seton Abele on behalf of the Argosy Foundation.
The RSC Ensemble is generously supported by The Gatsby Charitable Foundation and The Kovner Foundation.
As You Like It, The Winter's Tale, Julius Caesar and The Comedy of Errors should be booked directly with the Theatre Royal Box Office: 08448 11 21 21 or http://www.theatreroyal.co.uk/ (online booking available from 14 February).
Days of Significance and A Tender Thing should be booked directly with Northern Stage Box Office: 0191 230 5151 or http://www.northernstage.co.uk/ (online booking available from 14 February).
Theatre Royal Season Ticket
Book to see all three productions at the Theatre Royal and save 10% on the price of your tickets, Friends of the Theatre Royal get 15% discount.
New Work Season Ticket
Book to see all three productions at the Theatre Royal and one at Northern Stage and save 10% on the price of your tickets. Friends of the Theatre Royal get 15% discount.
All Season Tickets must be purchased through the Theatre Royal Box Office: 08448 11 21 21
Conditions: All Season Tickets must be booked and paid for at the same time. Subject to availability and cannot be used in conjunction with any other reduction or offer. Package price only applies when the same number of tickets is purchased for each performance. All ticket discounts are at the discretion of the Box Office. Not available online. Subscriptions only available until 31 March 2009.
£5 tickets for 16 – 25 year olds
50 £5 tickets for 16-25 year olds will be held off sale for each performance at the Theatre Royal. 25 can be booked in advance, and the remaining 25 will be sold from the Theatre Royal Booking Office from 9am (10am, Wednesday) for each Performance.
25 £5 tickets for 16-25 year olds will be held off sales for each performance at Northern Stage, with 15 able to be booked in advance via the Northern Stage Box Office and the 10 remaining will be sold from the Northern Stage Box Office from 10am on the day of each performance.
Education and Events
For more information – www.rsc.org.uk/newcastle
