SYNOPSIS The prologue of Romeo and Juliet calls the title characters “star-crossed lovers”—and the stars do seem to conspire against these young lovers. Romeo is a Montague, and Juliet a Capulet. Their wealthy families are enmeshed in a feud, but the moment they meet—when Romeo and his friends gate crash a party at Juliet’s house in disguise—the two fall in love and quickly decide that they want to be married. Romeo has been spotted by Juliet’s fiery cousin Tybalt, who decided he is going to challenge Romeo to a duel. A friar secretly marries the young couple, hoping to end the feud. Romeo and his companions almost immediately encounter Tybalt. When Romeo refuses to fight, Romeo’s friend Mercutio accepts the challenge and is killed, thanks to Romeo trying to intervene. Romeo then kills Tybalt and is banished by the Prince. Romeo spends that night with Juliet and then leaves for Mantua. Juliet’s father wants to force her into a marriage with Count Paris. To avoid this marriage, Juliet takes a potion, given her by the friar, that makes her appear dead. The friar plans to send Romeo word to be at her family tomb when Juliet awakes. The plan goes awry, and Romeo learns instead that she is dead. In the tomb, Romeo kills himself. Juliet wakes, sees his body, and commits suicide. Their deaths appear finally to end the feud as the Capulets and Montagues make peace over the bodies of their dead children.
ESCALUS MERCUTIO PARIS PAGE MONTAGUE LADY MONTAGUE ROMEO BENVOLIO CAPULET LADY CAPULET JULIET TYBALT NURSE PETER FRIAR LAWRENCE FRIAR JOHN BALTHASAR Cast List All other parts including citizens, courtiers, dancers, servants, henchmen and apothecary played by members of the cast The scene: Verona and Mantua PAGE to Count Paris: (Tue, Thu, Sat) PAGE to Count Paris: (Wed, Fri, Sun) Isla Wells Betsy Rennison Prince of Verona kinsman of the Prince and friend of Romeo a young Count, kinsman of the Prince to Count Paris head of his family at feud with the Capulets wife of Montague son of Montague nephew of Montague and friend of Romeo head of his family at feud with the Montagues wife of Capulet daughter of Capulet nephew of Lady Capulet of Juliet, her foster-mother servant of Capulet attending on the Nurse a Franciscan a Franciscan a servant of Montague attending on Romeo Tom Driver Pascal Michael Tegan Monroe Betsy Rennison / Isla Wells Zahir White Louisa Sharp Patrick Shearer Adam Kurton Peter McCrohon Catie Ridewood Jazmine Wilkinson Alexander J Smith April Singley Tom Driver Simon Pennicott Alexander J Smith Louisa Sharp
PETER MCCROHON - CAPULET This is my eighth season with Rainbow Shakespeare where I have been fortunate enough to play a myriad of wonderful parts, mostly comedic, including Bottom (A Midsummer Night's Dream), Banquo (Macbeth), Dr Caius (The Merry Wives of Windsor) and Thurio (The Two Gentlemen of Verona), amongst many others. Other theatre credits include Three No. 1 tours including the award winning Brief Encounter (as Stephen Lynn/Bill), Meeting Miss Austen for Winchester Festival/Austen 200 (Mr Johnson/Coachman), multi roles in Conn Artists' tour of Silas Marner and the title role in Ay Up, Hitler which toured extensively including a mini West End stint and played a near sell out, award winning run at the Edinburgh Festival. I'm also no stranger to pantomime, oh no I'm not! Playing everything from Dame to comic to elder statesmen for companies such as Newpalm, Paul Holman and NPP with co-stars as disparate as Britt Ekland, Bernie Clifton and Hi-De-Hi's Nikki Kelly. April trained at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, obtaining her MFA in Acting after more than a decade of film and theatre work, and many many Shakespeare productions. She is a founding member of the playwrighting organisation The Crowbait Club and Co-Artistic Director of theatre company, Mary Rose Productions. April returns to Rainbow Shakespeare after making her debut last year as Lady Macbeth in Macbeth and Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing. APRIL SINGLEY- NURSE CATIE RIDEWOOD - LADY CAPULET Catie is delighted to be joining Rainbow Shakespeare for their 2026 season. Born in South London and now based in Brighton, she previously performed with the One Fell Swoop Project in Brighton, playing Lucentio in “The Taming of the Shrew” and Juliet in “Romeo and Juliet”. She also worked with Different Theatre, playing Isabella in their adaptation of “Measure for Measure”. Other recent theatre includes: Dawn in “Fate Train” (Brighton Fringe/FOLKS Theatre); Jen in “Should I Smile?” (Kibo Productions); Helen in “That Witch Helen” (Sibyl Theatre); Charlotte in “Wasted” (Twisted Angel Theatre); Edith Gascoyne in “Blue Blood” (Brighton Fringe/Blue Devil Productions); Mary Shelley in “The Last” (DifferenT Theatre); and Amanda in “Not Talking” (New Venture Theatre). Catie trained at the Academy of Creative Training in Brighton.
Jazmine’s love of performing began aged just 3 when she began dance lessons at Italia Conti. Catching the performing bug, she soon realised acting was her passion and went on to train at Rose Bruford Drama School, which included a semester at Syracuse University, New York. Since graduating in 2016, her credits have included UK tours, the West End and most recently an international tour across the Middle East and Asia. Her most notable theatre credits include Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book, Grandad Anansi, Shakespeare in Love, The Border, Gilgamesh. Screen credits include Joe Lycett’s Got Ya Back, Surprise, Surprise. Jazmine has also modelled for drinks brand White Claw and ethical clothing company Dovetailed. Jazmine is very excited to be taking on the iconic roles of Juliet, Lady Anne and Queen Margaret and hopes the weather behaves itself. JAZMINE WILKINSON - JULIET It has been brought to my attention that maybe in recent times I haven’t been taking the writing of my biog seriously. Quite rightly, it is thought that, instead of my musings, the audience would like to know a bit about me as a person and an actor. Perhaps they would like to know about my time at drama school – heady days – at The Bridge in London back in 2008. Perchance they want to hear of my many credits, including 12 years (that’s twelve) working with Rainbow, performing as Puck, Falstaff amongst many other wonderful characters. They may even be interested in the show about Jacques Brel I wrote and produced, as well as my debut performance in London’s West End as Father Christmas. But in a final act of defiance, I am not going to tell them. So there. Oh. Rats. simon pennicot - FRIAR LAWRENCE ALEXANDER J SMITH - TYBALT & FRIAR JOHN Alexander is thrilled to be returning for his sixth Rainbow season. You may have seen him in previous years as the Moor himself in Othello, Antipholus of Syracuse in Comedy of Errors, Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Don John in Much Ado About Nothing and Macduff in last year's Macbeth, among many other roles. He is also a frequent pantomime performer, having played Abanazar in Aladdin at both the Princess Theatre in Torquay and the Brindley in Runcorn, Ugly Sister in Cinderella at the Elgiva in Chesham, and last year Giant Blunderbore and Daisy the Cow in Jack & the Beanstalk, also in Chesham. Other credits include Werewolves (Golden Goose); Trumpets & Raspberries (Barons Court); Pink Elephants (Lion & Unicorn); The Dastardly Murder of the Chocolate Soufflé (Rosemary Branch); RAW (En Carne Viva) (Barons Court).
Betsy has loved performing from a young age and has attended acting classes since the age of four. She enjoys acting, singing and dancing, and has achieved LAMDA Grades 1, 2 and 3. Romeo and Juliet is Betsy's second production with Rainbow Shakespeare after appearing as Moth, a Fairy in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, in 2024, and she has loved every moment of it. Shakespeare is one of her favourite playwrights, and she is delighted to be part of this production. BETSY RENNISON - PAGE Pascal Michael is an English actor of Cypriot heritage, and budding singer and spoken word performer, based between London and East Sussex. Alongside part-time training at Identity School of Acting, West End Musical Theatre, and acceptance at ACT Brighton’s Professional Diploma, he brings an unusual background in psychology, holding a PhD that informs his interest in psychologically complex, emotionally charged, and existential storytelling. Drawn to roles that balance intensity with eccentricity, bringing both gravitas and playfulness to performance, he approaches acting as an act of spirituality. His theatre work includes The Bacchae at Hastings Museum, and in more amateur productions, The Devil in Dr Faustus, and the protagonist Stone in the musical City of Angels. Other work includes a Big Brother parody Instagram series, an AI-filtered original prose performance, & (apt to his current role) modelling for Mercury in The Judgement of Paris. Pascal Michael - MERCUTIO My name is Louisa, I’m 19, and this is my first time in a professional production. I’ve done acting since I was young, taking part in school drama clubs and a local youth theatre to explore my creative side. I’m so excited to be taking on roles in both Romeo & Juliet and Richard III and to be bringing Lady Montague and the Second Murderer to life. LOUISA SHARP - LADY MONTAGUE & BALTHASAR Tegan is thrilled to be a part of this incredible company! Her recent credits include: Mariella (1536), Alice (Alice by Heart), Morticia (Addams Family), Sharpay (High School Musical). She has recently finished her A-Levels in Drama, Dance and Psychology at Roedean School. In the near future, she hopes to train at drama school with dreams of becoming a professional actress. TEGAN MONROE - pARIS
Thu 8th - Fri 9th Oct 2026 ConnaughtTheatre,Worthing01903206206 | wtm.uk
ZAHIR WHITE - MONTAGUE I’ve been in a number of Am Dram productions including Pride and Prejudice (Mr Collins), An Inspector Calls (Gareth Croft), Animal Farm (Snowball and Benjamin) and Deathtrap (Clifford Anderson). I did my very first Shakespeare last year when I played the bloodied Captain, and Lennox, in Macbeth. I liked the challenge and very much enjoyed learning from the excellent team of professionals around me. It was an easy choice to come back again this year. Looking forward to it. Patrick Shearer is a graduate of Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and The Australian Performing Arts Conservatory. His career highlights include playing Max Zoric in ABC's Harrow and DJ Dewey Phillips in Baz Lurhmann's Elvis. Earlier this year he appeared as George in Of Mice and Men at OSO Arts Centre and then again as Dan Kelly in the UK premiere of Kelly at OSO. He’s currently slated to return to the OSO in September to play Cassius in the UK premiere of Conversations in Tusculum. PATRICK SHEARER - rOMEO Tom Driver has been involved in acting since 2010, when he got involved in The Lee Players and Groundlings Theatre company. He appeared in many productions with the Groundlings, including The Crucible, Romeo & Juliet, Hamlet and The Importance of Being Ernest. Since then, he has appeared in numerous fringe theatre productions, including the musicals Scotched Egg and Domitius, as well as touring companies such as Quorum in France, and West Midlands Children’s Theatre. He has additionally appeared in a number of short and feature films. His training includes a level 6 diploma with Trinity College London and a grade 8 in musical theatre. TOM DRIVER - pETER Adam has most recently been seen on stage (with much more makeup than this) as Mrs Potty in Beauty and the Beast. Prior to that, his theatre roles have included Henry Jekyll in Jekyll and Hyde, Kay in The Snow Queen, and the Elf in Rod Campbell’s Dear Santa Live! He has also provided narration for the audiobook A Drowned Kingdom by P L Stuart. Adam is very excited to be realising his long-held ambition of performing Shakespeare, and hopes to tackle much more of the Bard’s work in future. adam kurton - benvolio
Michael has been involved with Rainbow Shakespeare since childhood, first as an audience member and later joining the team in 2019 as part of his A- Level production arts placement. He formally joined the company in 2022, stepping into the role of Stage Manager in 2023. Though unable to commit to the full responsibilities in recent years, he has remained active as a volunteer, advisor, and backstage support. For 2026, he is delighted to be able to share the role while continuing to contribute to stage design, technical operations, and Rainbow’s work behind the scenes. Victoria studied at the Northern Ballet School in Manchester and started her career as a dance teacher and choreographer, working many years in Europe before returning to the UK. She re-trained in Stage Management at Chichester College and has worked on many youth theatre projects in the South East of England, as well as touring the UK with Conn Artists Theatre Company, Blackeyed Theatre, Guildford Shakespeare Company and the Crime and Comedy Theatre Company. Isla has a passion for all things drama and musical theatre. She attends Sussex Youth Theatre and Star Stage & Screen Hub, where she enjoys developing her performance skills and taking part in a variety of productions. Isla also regularly takes part in her school productions and loves every opportunity to be on stage. This production marks Isla’s debut performance with Rainbow Shakespeare, and she is thrilled to be part of the cast. She hopes you enjoy the show! ISLA WELLS - PAGE MIChael SWEETMAN-HICKS - STAGE manager victoria richards - stage manager
NICK YOUNG has spent much of his directing career working on Shakespeare. He started at the age of 11 directing Hamlet in a theatre he and his friends had built in a Victorian attic. When he was 16, the Company, the Rafter Players, graduated out of their attic and performing throughout South London, and touring to Denmark, Finland and Russia. He studied English at Oxford, where he directed his first Richard III and was lucky enough to be chosen as the student director on the Richard Burton/Elizabeth Taylor stage and film versions of Doctor Faustus. He could name drop the fact that Burton asked Nick to show him how to kiss Elizabeth. (True story!) After leaving university, he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company as Trainee Director, alongside Mike Lee, and worked with Helen Mirren and Patrick Stewart, among others. He left the RSC to spend three blissful years directing the prestigious Ludlow Festival I Henry IV part 1, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and King Lear in the magnificent Castle. He then became Artistic Director of Worthing’s famous Connaught Theatre for ten years, directing every type of drama, including 9 Shakespeare plays, and Drake’s Dream, that tranferred to London’s Shaftesbury Theatre. After the Connaught, he formed Rainbow Theatre, writing and directing over a hundred shows touring into schools across Sussex and London. And in 1998 came the first Rainbow Shakespeare, first on the beach, where the Company was named Sea Shore Shakespeare. (Try saying that three times quickly!) before moving up to Highdown in 1999, which became Rainbow’s home ever since. Nick has also directed many musicals for Sussex Amateur Companies, as well as writing and lecturing. Director
Proud Sponsors of Rainbow Shakespeare Theatre Company Supporting Outdoor Theatre at Highdown Gardens, Worthing – July 2026 We are delighted to sponsor the Rainbow Shakespeare Theatre Company, bringing vibrant outdoor performances to the beautiful setting of Highdown Gardens, Worthing this July. Experience Shakespeare under the open sky with a talented cast, stunning staging, and a truly magical atmosphere. About Us Proudly supporting arts in our community We believe in strengthening our local community and supporting initiatives that bring people together. The arts inspire, connect, and enrich lives — and we’re proud to play a part in making these performances possible. What We Do Based in Rustington, West Sussex. K. Lacey are a leading provider of high performance Cables and Wires and specialist manufacturer of Cable Assemblies. Our ongoing commitment to provide excellent and reliable service to our customers and to support sustainability, and community engagement drives everything we do – which is why we are proud to support local arts and cultural events like this. With over 50 years of experience, K Lacey is recognised across the UK and the globe as a key stockist of High Performance and PTFE cables and wires. Supplying into the electronic, industrial, military and aerospace markets. We offer a large stockholding of popular and diverse wire and cable, primarily sourced from leading UK manufacturers as well as producing Build to Print Cable Assemblies. Why We’re Supporting This Event
How can a casual remark on a May evening in 1998 on Worthing beach turn into something immense? “Why can’t we do something for family audiences? asked Alex my partner. I knew that I had been inspired by Shakespeare as a kid, when my parents took me to see Olivier’s film of Richard the Third, and a girls’ school production of Twelfth Night, and that Shakespeare, done properly, could entertain, scare, amuse, delight and teach. This started a life-long adventure with the Bard, and why you are watching tonight. So many people have been involved in this adventure, and my thanks and gratitude to them all. Firstly our beloved and loyal audiences who join us come rain or moonlight, and participate in the Shakespeare performance. Everyone is different, and everyone learns new insights. Like the 6-year- old overheard saying to his mum after watching The Dream: “O mummy, did that man Shakespeare write any more plays like that?” to those of you enjoying a glass of wine, imbibing the wonderful language. Thank you for risking the weather and the gnats! Shakespeare experienced in the open air has a unique quality. Audiences and actors in tandem rejoice and occasionally suffer in tandem. But it happened. That’s why live theatre is unique. My second big thank you, of course, goes to the actors. They study their craft, learn their lines (we hope!) come to Worthing, rehearse, put up with their director! And then finally share the plays with you, come rain or heatwave or thunderstorm. Being in a theatre company is a little like being in an army unit: you all have to trust each other, do your preparation and then all go ‘over the top’ together. Ideally you have to love your fellow actors (no room for egos or being a prima donna) and you have to love your audiences (even if at times they eat their sandwiches or pop their champagne corks in the middle of your biggest speech). what is rainbow shakespeare?
The other unseen team that make Rainbow Shakespeare are owed a deed of gratitude from myself including my darling wife who has to put up with me, having a house full of stored costumes, and acting as Company Secretary. Then there is our Chairman, who is up the back of the auditorium, serving coffee, helping build the set and acting as professional adviser. I have known Tim for over fifty years, ever since he helped with Worthing Youth Theatre. Then there is Mickey Sweetman Hicks, who has been an invaluable part of the technical team and who helps me with more techy aspects of modern life. Tom Mitcham, who has been a stalwart among the community actors for the past few years, has now joined the Trust, and brought much enthusiasm to the role. There is a huge community of volunteers without whose help these productions would never happen. Big thanks to Highdown Gardens, Alex and his team, and Worthing Theatres. All part of the Community of which Rainbow is a vital part. Liberty Harris for creating the programmes and finally my dear friend and colleague Ross Muir, who you will be sad to note is not starring this year, as he is working on the national tour of Jane Eyre … the list goes on and on, and we do not take any of them for granted. As it says in Twelfth Night: ‘I can no other answer make but thanks, And thanks; and ever thanks;’ For anyone I’ve left out, I crave your forgiveness. NICK “I can no other answer make but thanks, And thanks; and ever thanks.” -Twelfth night
Thoughts These days you'd refer to Capulet as a toxic masculine patriarch and although there is some truth in this, there's a lot more to him than just that. His wealth and power have made him entitled and he is triggered if his will is crossed but he is a warm, witty and convivial party host and clearly loves his daughter, whom, in a match with Count Paris, would be made comfortable for life. He's also experienced tragedy, not just in the family feud but personally, with his wife having lost a number of children in childbirth and on at least two occasions urges peace between the rival houses. He's a very three dimensional character and you'd imagine he'd be good company if you did what you were told, but potentially physically violent if you didn't! I think Juliet is far more complex than realised at first glance. Whilst often perceived as naive which in many ways she is, she is also emotionally complex and headstrong truly finding her voice in a world that denies her growth. (I feel honoured to bring her iconic story to life.) Lady Capulet is a fascinating character: at first she can seem cold and disconnected from her daughter, but given the dangerous world that they live in and their particular vulnerability as women, I think her demands are born out of experience. “I was your mother much upon these years / That you are now a maid” she tells Juliet, urging her into the safety of marriage to Paris, a marriage that could bring safety to them all. Mercutio is a tad of a madman. In the sense that he spends much of his speech in tirades, yet also boasts a resplendent soliloquy in which he loses himself in his self-made faerie- world. He is that mercurial character which, like his namesake (Mercury), is quick, witty and animated, where communication is core – that is… he loves the sound of his own voice. Maybe too much? jazmine wilkinson (juliet) Peter McCrohon (capulet) CATIE RIDEWOOD (LADY CAPULET) PASCAL MICHAEL (mercutio) cast thoughts Benvolio is such fun, and is a key part of what I would call the comedy half of the play, before things get more deadly in the second half. His light- hearted dialogue with his cousin Romeo is a joy to speak, and underneath Shakespeare’s language, you can see that friendships and banter really haven’t changed at all in the last 400 years! I hope that I can bring these very human moments to life for you in a way that you will be able to see something of yourselves in them too. ADAM KURTON (BENVOLIO)
THANK YOU Credits Artistic Director - Nick Young Associate Producer - Ross Muir FOH & Box Office - Alex Young Technical Advisor - Stephen Holroyd Stage Manager - Victoria Richards Stage Manager - Michael Sweetman-Hicks Stage Fights - Isaac Finch Lighting & Sound - Sam Forbes Onsite Electrician – Julian Peach Company Advisor, Stage Set-up & Catering - Tim Chick Photography & Video - Mitch Jenkins Social Media - Julie Chick Programme - Liberty Harris Thank You to the following: Alex New (Head Gardener/Curator) and Faye Luff at Highdown Gardens, and all the gardeners, support staff and volunteers at Highdown Gardens, The Highdown, Sussex Youth Theatre, Sparks Scaffold, Marc Brand (Dogfish Design), Worthing Theatres and Museum, 1st Ferring Scout Group, St Andrew’s Church in Ferring, Sophia Gladman (painting), and all volunteers from Lancing Rep with the stage build. And a special thank you to the wonderful volunteers and community cast members including Zahir White, Louisa Sharp, Tegan Monroe, and child performers Betsy Rennison and Isla Wells (plus their mums and dads) who have given their time and talent in joining the company of professional actors of Rainbow Shakespeare for this season. Patron: Dame Judi Dench Trustees: Alex Young (Company Secretary) and Stephen Holroyd Visit our website and sign-up to receive news and updates: www.rainbowshakespeare.co.uk Facebook: RainbowShakespeare Instagram: @rainbow.theatre X: @openairshakes