Shakespeare's timeless love story Romeo and Juliet launches Titchfield Festival Theatre's Bard at The Barn season

This May, a traditional version of Romeo & Juliet will be performed at the historic Great Barn by Titchfield Festival Theatre for the launch of its Bard at the Barn annual summer festival.

Love is a universal theme; and in Romeo & Juliet, Shakespeare heightens its potency with the language he uses.

Love and hate, life and death… The Bard used his literary genius to write the love story that everyone still knows.

TFT’s artistic director Keven Fraser is directing the show, and he says: ‘2022 is Titchfield Festival Theatre’s 21st anniversary year, and what better way to celebrate than with Romeo & Juliet?

‘It was one of the earliest plays we performed in the Abbey, and its universal popularity made it an excellent choice. The company has invested over the years in a full Elizabethan/Jacobean wardrobe.

‘So this production will be a feast of colour all set in the Great Barn, a building probably well known to the Bard himself.

‘I am delighted to be directing Romeo & Juliet. I love the story and first studied it more than 50 years ago at school! It is such a great story to tell; a young couple with burning and unfading passion, seeking to build their relationship despite the insurmountable barriers of hatred between their respective families, the Montagues and Capulets.

‘We believe that there may even be a link between Romeo & Juliet and Titchfield – which we will explore further in the programme.

‘I promise this will be a truly superb evening’s entertainment, a wonderful play performed in its traditional version – set in the stunningly beautiful Great Barn.’

It runs at the Great Barn, Titchfield from Sunday, May 29 to May 31, and Sunday June 5 to June 9. Go to titchfieldfestivaltheatre.com.