Whitworth students scoop front row seats for alternative Bard production

Whitworth Community High School students at the ‘& Juliet’ production at the Opera House, Manchester

An alternative take on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet - Romeo and Julian - won a class front row seats for a professional production.

Around 30 Year 8 Whitworth Community High School students got to watch ‘& Juliet’, a modern version of the tragic tale at the Opera House in Manchester.

Drama teacher Alex White created two new versions of the classic story, and both were performed by students and recorded to be sent into the competition.

Oliver Rothwell, 12, in Year 8 said: “We performed Romeo and Julian in school and it was about two drag queens and I was Romeo’s dad.

“I didn’t approve of him being gay and I shouted at him a lot during the production.”

The students were delighted to find out their play had won the coveted prize.

'& Juliet' was inspired by the traditional tale but is told from Juliet’s perspective and brings the story into the 21st Century with modern language and pop music anthems including Britney Spears’ ‘Baby One More Time’.

Oliver said: “It was really good and I liked the way they added pop songs; it made it more up-to-date with the music and the use of modern words.”

Fern Leech, 13, said the front row seats were excellent for viewing the action and made her feel a part of the production.

She said: “I had seen Grease before at the Opera House, but I was in the Upper Circle and so far away from the stage.

“I enjoyed the musical and it was a completely different take to the original story. I have never seen Romeo and Juliet performed on stage, but now I would like to see the original play.”