Romeo & Juliet
by William Shakespeare

Mercury Theatre Colchester

Original Music: Julián Peralta

With Astillero Tango Orchestra

25 February – 13 March 2010

Director: Ed Hughes; Associate Director/Designer: Michael Vale
Choreographers: Leandro Palou & Romina Godoy; Lighting Designer: Aideen Malone
Sound Designer: Gurgit Dhinsa; Video Designer: Alejandro Diez

The seven-piece critically acclaimed Astillero Tango Orchestra unite with an international company of actors to perform Shakespeare’s classic tale of forbidden love, Romeo and Juliet in a co-production between the award-winning Mercury Theatre Company and Salida Productions. The production opens at the Mercury Theatre Colchester on 25 February – press night on 1 March, and runs until 13 March.

Through the power and passion of the evocative tango, the decline of the lovers is seen not as fate, but an act of orchestration. The musicians intertwine with the actors creating their world, their love, and ultimately their fate.

Actor and director Kenneth Branagh is patron of the project, he said today, “I have met several times over the last few years with Ed Hughes to discuss the progress of his production of Romeo and Juliet and agreed to be patron. His imaginative response to the play is startlingly original and his tenacious devotion to its execution has been very impressive. This is an important project which I think will bring a memorable artistic experience to many.”

Astillero formed in 2005. Renowned as the only tango orchestra in the world playing original tango compositions, they released their first CD Tango de Astillero in 2006 and their second album Sin Descanso en Bratislava in 2008 both to great acclaim. They have recently completed a tour of the UK including two sold out performances at the Southbank as part of the London Jazz Festival. The orchestra is Julián Peralta (pianist), Mariano Gonzales Calo (bandoneon), Adolfo Trepiana (bandoneon), Martijn Van der Linden (violin), Luciano Falcón (cello), Federico Maiocchi (double bass) and Miguel Suarez (singer).

The cast is Javier Alcina (Mercutio), Victoria Di Pace (Juliet), Luciano Dodero (Benvolio), Keith Dunphy (Friar), Gus Gallagher (Romeo), Ed Hughes (Tybalt), Gina Isaac (Lady Capulet), Ian Pirie (Capulet) and Shuna Snow (Nurse). Other roles will be undertaken by members of the Astillero Orchestra and the company.

Ed Hughes, director of Romeo and Juliet, said, “Why Romeo and Juliet and the music of tango? At the core of both, death and love are inextricably bound together. This is the reason for this production with a company of international actors and Astillero tango orchestra from Buenos Aires – to open up the play in a way that has never been seen before. This is what has driven me for the last 8 years of working to bring this production to life.

“To be collaborating with Colchester with an established company of actors, near where I grew up as a kid, is more than I could have ever imagined and for which I am extremely grateful to Dee Evans and the vision of the Mercury Theatre.”

Dee Evans, Artistic Director and Chief Executive commented, “The power, devastating precision and raw passion of Astillero’s music equals that of the play itself. The Mercury Theatre Company is all about driving development on and new challenges. This is another opportunity for all involved to raise the bar.”

The Mercury is a highly respected regional theatre, based in Colchester, Essex and home to the critically acclaimed Mercury Theatre Company, established in 1999, and stages a broad mix of classic plays and new writing as well as working extensively within the local community. Recently nominated for the TMA award for Best New Play for The Lifesavers by Fraser Grace, a co-production with theatre503, the Mercury has a strong reputation for producing new work and collaborates with companies including: Dialogue Productions, Tilted Productions, Real Circumstance, the New Wolsey Theatre, Wildworks, Scamp Theatre, nabokov, the Bush Theatre and Watford Palace Theatre.

Julián Peralta was a founder member of La Orquesta Tipica Fernandez Fierro, with whom he released three albums: Envasado el Origin, Destrucción Masiva, and Vivo en Europa. In 2005 he left to form Astillero. In the same year he founded the Tango School Orlando Goni. Since its creation the number of young Tango orchestras has swelled from two to nearly 30, and through Peralta’s vision a new Tango movement has started. This led him to write the book Orquesta Tipica: The Mechanics and Application of the Technical Elements of Tango, published in April 2008. He has played all the major Tango venues within Buenos Aires, toured extensively with Astillero throughout Europe, played at WOMEX, the Montreal, Rotterdam and South Korean Jazz Festivals and opened the Buenos Aires International Tango Festival.

Ed Hughes directs and plays Tybalt. In 2002 he received a Fox Foundation scholarship to go to Buenos Aires and study Tango. It was whilst there that the production of Romeo and Juliet involving the orchestra first took shape. As an actor, his credits include Everything Must Go (Soho Theatre), The Lifesavers (Theatre 503 and Mercury Theatre, Colchester), Rough Crossings (Headlong), The Canterbury Tales (RSC, West End and world tour), Hamlet (Old Vic), Romeo and Juliet (ETT), Finding the Sun (RNT), The Little Foxes (Donmar) and ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore (Young Vic). For television, his work includes David Copperfield and Wallander, and for film, Incendiary.

Salida Productions was formed in 2008 by Ed Hughes and Michael Vale, and is focused on producing international theatre using actors, musicians and dancers from around the world to explore new ways of approaching classical and contemporary theatre. Romeo and Juliet is the first show produced by Salida Productions.
Romeo & Juliet                                                                                                                                                                        Listings

Mercury Theatre Colchester
Mercury Theatre, Balkerne Gate, Colchester CO1 1PT

www.mercurytheatre.co.uk

Thu 25 Feb – Sat 13 Mar 2010

Box Office 01206 573948

Tickets £8.50 – £19.50 / Concessions £7.50

Performances at 7.30pm Mon –Sat
2pm matinee on 4, 9 & 11 March
2.30pm matinee on 6 March

The Mercury Theatre Company is supported by Arts Council England East, Colchester Borough Council and Essex County Council.