Josh O'Connor and Jessie Buckley star in National Theatre's film Romeo and Juliet on Derbyshire cinema screens

Venues around Derbyshire will screen the National Theatre’s original film Romeo and Juliet.
Jessie Buckley and Josh O'Connell in the National Theatre's film Romeo and Juliet.Jessie Buckley and Josh O'Connell in the National Theatre's film Romeo and Juliet.
Jessie Buckley and Josh O'Connell in the National Theatre's film Romeo and Juliet.

The film will be shown on September 28 at Chesterfield Pomegranate Theatre and Buxton Pavilion Arts Centre and on September 28 and 29 at Northern Light, Wirksworth, and Derby Quad.

Josh O’Connor (The Crown, God’s Own Country) and Jessie Buckley (Chernobyl, Judy) star in Romeo and Juliet which was filmed in 17 days during the pandemic at National Theatre’s base in London, the Lyttleton Theatre.

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This is the first time that the film will be shown on the big screen, having premiered on television’s Sky Arts in the United Kingdom and PBS in America in April this year.

Simon Godwin, director, said: “When we came to make Romeo & Juliet as a film, we had always wanted it to succeed as well on screen as it ever would on stage. So it is the ultimate thrill for all the creatives involved that it is now having its chance to be seen on the big screen. Shakespeare, as Derek Jarman once said, would’ve loved cinema. I’m excited to imagine Shakespeare eating his popcorn watching his wonderful play lit up and brought to life on the big screen in such a dazzling way.”

Romeo and Juliet risk everything to be together. In defiance of their feuding families, they chase a future of joy and passion as violence erupts around them. This bold new film brings to life the remarkable backstage spaces of the National Theatre in which desire, dreams and destiny collide to make Shakespeare’s romantic tragedy sing in an entirely new way.

The cast also includes Ella Dacres as Peta, Fisayo Akinade as Mercutio, Deborah Findlay as the Nurse, Tamsin Greig as Lady Capulet, Ellis Howard as Sampson, Lloyd Hutchinson as Lord Capulet, David Judge as Tybalt, Adrian Lester as the Prince, Alex Mugnaioni as Paris, Lucian Msamati as the Friar, Shubham Saraf as Benvolio and Colin Tierney as Lord Montague.

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