A Globe By Any Other Name…

DUNEDIN, NZ — The Globe Theatre Dunedin is proud to announce that it will celebrate its 65th Anniversary with a production of William Shakespeare’s timeless tragedy, Romeo & Juliet. 

“For our 65th year, we wanted to return to a work that speaks to every generation,” says Globe Chair and Director Brent Caldwell.

In a connection across the decades, Caldwell has engaged with two of the original 1961 cast, Richard Stedman and Dougal Stevenson. They have agreed to make a small cameo appearance as a homage to the cast and crew of the Carey’s 1961 production.  

The connections don’t stop there.  Stedman’s granddaughter Maegan Stedman-Ashford, will play Tybalt, in the upcoming season. 

Most people don't realize that the Globe Theatre actually opened in 1961 with Romeo & Juliet. By staging this play for the 65th Anniversary, the theatre is literally returning to its roots. For long-time Dunedin residents, it’s a nostalgic tribute to Patric and Rosalie Carey’s original vision of bringing "theatre in the house" to London Street.

To mark sixty-five years of performance, the theatre returns to the Bard's most famous tale of "star-crossed lovers," exploring the themes of inherited hate and the transformative power of young love within its unique, historic setting. 

This Romeo & Juliet will be intimate, visceral, and deeply connected to our Dunedin community. We felt it was important to make this play a celebration of the Globe’s rich history, and have adapted it to reflect the period the theatre was opened.  This is why we are setting it in rural Otago, in May of 1961.

The themes of Romeo & Juliet—young, passionate people clashing with the rigid expectations and "ancient grudges" of an older generation—feel particularly relevant in a university town where the energy of youth and the weight of tradition are constantly in conversation.

Rehearsals are underway for the season which opens on May 21-30 May.

© Scoop Media