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I was apprehensive at joining rehearsals for a professional show for the first time, but Clive, the Director, and the actors – Ed and Sophie – were very calm and focused. They seemed totally committed in an effortless way, and it helped me feel a bit less nervous. When you’re trying making your first ripples in the industry pool you’ll do anything to be of service, but I was really chuffed when they said ‘don’t be so polite!’ as I tried to shuffle to the back of the queue for the kettle on their tea break.

Ed Hancock, playing Romeo, and Sophie Steer, playing Juliet, bring great energy; both are a wonder to watch. They are thoughtful and alert and pick up and drop ideas or characters as if it’s what they were born to do.

It’s fascinating to see how everyone works as a team to chip away at one creative decision after another. Clive listens as the actors throw ideas in the pot and then chuck them straight back out again. They are currently working out the best way to go from the fight between Romeo and Tybalt to the soundscape of Tybalt fighting Mercutio, which Romeo has recorded on his phone. They begin to work out how to make a clear character and action shift between the first and second of the three fight scenes. For the third, Clive is bringing in a Fight Choreographer. To add to the intricacies of this scene the second fight is introduced by a spitting row between Tybalt (Sophie) and Mercutio (Ed). Sophie, an irate knife-wielding Tybalt, first fights Romeo , then Mercutio, and Ed is playing both parts!

Clive gives them the freedom to play and experiment, ensuring the production is their collaborative creation. They toy with the idea of handing the phones to each other as they leap. Should Sophie go over or around the chair? Do they do the same number of steps? Do they apply a count or rhythm to the steps, or trust each other to land at the same time? 

As an aspiring director, it’s reassuring to see that my preferred way of working – absolute collaboration – can be achieved in such a productive, playful way. I think he’s right when he says that he’s created a fun environment for the actors to rehearse in, which nurtures the trust and respect that they share as the show develops.

Ed and Sophie approach their characters and lines differently – Ed is constantly asking questions and remains thoughtful about the language. Sophie, meanwhile, throws herself in, attacking her lines with ideas that come to her in the moment; both of them know how to really have fun with Shakespeare! I noticed they carefully maintain the metre and rhythm of Shakespeare’s lines, only adjusting the text where absolutely necessary to allow for the modern secondary school location.  As this adaptation is only an hour long, it is especially important to unlock the meaning of every line, so they keep some rather hefty copies of the full Oxford Classic text of Romeo and Juliet close by refer to.

All three of them are in love with Shakespeare, and honestly – what’s not to love? It’s truly magical how these plays can transport a modern audience in any number of ways. It’s been a real eye-opener to watch the close-knit Romeo and Juliet team in rehearsals, it’s made me more confident about my own future in the industry in a way that I never predicted – I’m hungry for it now more than ever!  I feel positive. I love being with these talented people who are so committed, and I’m now sure this career path is for me.

I hope I can return here with a production of my own one day. A girl can dream!