Romeo & Juliet at Liverpool Everyman

One of theatre’s most famous love stories gets a fresh perspective this autumn when Liverpool Everyman brings Romeo & Juliet to the stage. Zoe West takes on Romeo opposite Alicia Forde’s Juliet – a move that feels both striking and completely in sync with the Everyman’s instinct for fresh, unflinching storytelling. It’s a reframing that peels away expectation, letting the relationship speak for itself – and for those timeless themes of love, loss and fate to hit even harder.

Ellie Hurt directs – returning to the theatre where she cut her teeth as part of the Young Everyman & Playhouse programme. Since completing YEP, she has created shows for venues across the UK – including Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre, Shakespeare North Playhouse and the National Theatre. Now she’s back at the theatre she calls home to direct an unmissable Romeo & Juliet, a production that asks whether love can withstand the crushing forces of family and history. There’s a real sense of the city’s heartbeat in this production – local talent telling a story that has travelled the globe.

Speaking about the production, Hurt said, “Directing Romeo & Juliet at the Everyman feels like a full-circle moment. I started my journey here with the YEP Directors course, working with so many amazing people and learning so much about the kinds of stories I wanted to tell. It’s incredibly special to be back here and I’m excited to bring a fresh approach to one of my favourite Shakespeare plays.”

The casting for this show brings familiar faces and fresh voices together: Elliot Broadfoot’s mercurial Mercutio, Ebony Feare’s earthy Nurse, Joe Alessi’s imposing Capulet, Eithne Browne’s compassionate Friar. Each brings the story closer to home, making this centuries‑old tragedy feel like it could be playing out on our own streets.

It’s a story we think we know, but told here with a clear‑eyed intimacy and a homegrown heartbeat. With love and loss, joy and tragedy, Romeo & Juliet at the Everyman looks set to remind us why this 400‑year‑old masterpiece still feels urgent today.