Rehearsals in full swing as Wiltshire Creative prepare for Romeo and Juliet

Salisbury Playhouse is transforming into the Capulet Mansion for a bold new take on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, as part of Salisbury International Arts Festival 2026.

Rehearsals are underway as professional and community cast members prepare for this immersive production, celebrating 50 years of Salisbury Playhouse.

Romeo and Juliet, directed by Wiltshire Creative’s Artistic Director Gareth Machin, will open at Salisbury Playhouse on Sunday, 24 May.

The ambitious new staging of Shakespeare’s classic will run until Sunday, 7 June. The production is being rehearsed and made in Salisbury, with set and costumes crafted on-site at Salisbury Playhouse.

Performed by a professional cast of ten alongside Stage 65 Youth Theatre and 100 community participants, Romeo and Juliet invites audiences to step inside the world of the play. Wearing headphones and guided throughout the 1970s Playhouse building and its environs, audiences will encounter spaces fully reimagined as the battleground between the Capulets and Montagues. An array of vehicles, parkour sequences and a commissioned soundtrack heighten the action, amplifying the production’s scale and intensity.

Audiences of 300 will follow the story as it unfolds, moving through rarely seen backstage areas of the Playhouse and surrounding outdoor spaces. Salisbury’s central car park becomes a youth hangout, the Playhouse balcony becomes Juliet’s and an extended stage in the theatre will host Juliet’s bedroom.

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Romeo and Juliet initial foyer design by Zoe Squire

Romeo and Juliet initial foyer design by Zoe Squire

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• Salisbury Radio/Andy Munns - Central Car Park
• Salisbury Radio/Andy Munns - Playhouse Roundabout
• Salisbury Radio/Andy Munns - Playhouse front
• Romeo and Juliet Car Park initial design by Zoe Squire
• Romeo and Juliet initial foyer design by Zoe Squire
• Wiltshire Creative Romeo and Juliet Professional cast Emilia Williams (Lady Capulet) and Mark Springer (Lord Capulet) with community cast c. Rudy Visuals
• Clockwise from back left Emilia Williams (Lady Capulet), Mark Springer (Lord Capulet), Will Fletcher (Romeo), Benjamin Lafayette (Benvolio) c. Rudy Visuals
• Wiltshire Creative Romeo and Juliet cast Will Jennings (Mercutio) c. Rudy Visuals

Gareth Machin, Artistic Director, Wiltshire Creative, said: “We want to create work for Salisbury International Arts Festival that connects directly with our city, and that can only be seen here in Salisbury.

"Part of that uniqueness is our local community and the distinctive voice they bring to the offer. Creating world-class participatory opportunities is also part of our wider mission, enabled by our year-round offer and strong community links. Local ownership of flagship projects like this is vital.”

The community cast have come together for months of rehearsals, finding creative courage and pride in performance. Local people from all walks of life will be immersing audiences in the gritty and glamorous world of Verona, where new love is pitted against old feuds.

Community cast member, Isabel, said: “I can’t wait… It’s amazing that we have this opportunity to participate, to get this exposure to a professional theatre environment.”

Wiltshire Creative Romeo and Juliet cast Rebecca Cooper (NursePrince), Emilia Williams (Lady Capulet) c. Rudy Visuals

The production also sees a former Stage 65 Youth Theatre member returning to their roots, with Emilia Williams taking the role of Lady Capulet.

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare is at Salisbury Playhouse from Sunday, 24 May. Salisbury International Festival takes place between Sunday 24 May and Saturday 27 June 2026. To find out more, visit wiltshirecreative.co.uk/whats-on