Story thread · 2 reports / 2 sources

Russell Kane reveals the surprising twist of his Romeo & Juliet

metro.co.uk · 3hShare

Russell Kane stars in an unconventional take on Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers (Picture: Getty Images) Not since Charlize Theron played serial killer Aileen Wuornos in the 2003 true crime movie Monster has a casting announcement triggered such a mass double take. Russell Kane ? Playing the romantic lead in Romeo and Juliet? Yes, that Russell Kane. The fast-talking comedian and presenter. The one who turned 50 last year. Bizarre as it may seem, it’s all true. Alongside Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps actor Natalie Casey, who plays his doomed lover, Russell is part of a radical retelling of the Shakespeare tragedy – and, boy, is he excited. In this version, they play a couple in their 40s who’ve never found love before. Their respective families run different aspects of construction, with Juliet under pressure to marry Paris to seal an important deal. If she doesn’t, she’ll be cast out. ‘I can’t believe nobody’s done Romeo and Juliet like this,’ says Russell. ‘We’ve had diff

First report: Romeo and Juliet review – Russell Kane and Natalie Casey turn love’s young dream into a midlife fling — theguardian.com, 1d