Romeo a Juliet: Steffan Cennydd and Annes Elwy in bilingual production headed for London
Theatr Cymru is proud to announce its upcoming bilingual production of William Shakespeare’s Romeo a Juliet, in association with Shakespeare’s Globe. Set to open at Cardiff’s Sherman Theatre on 29 September, the production will tour venues across Wales ahead of a limited run at the Globe’s Sam Wanamaker Playhouse in London.
Directed by Theatr Cymru’s Artistic Director, Steffan Donnelly, the production stars Steffan Cennydd as Romeo and Annes Elwy as Juliet – two powerhouse performers bringing their talent and experience to the roles of the tragic couple prepared to risk it all for love. Trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Steffan’s recent theatre credits include Taylor Mac’s play Hir at the Park Theatre – in which he starred opposite Felicity Huffman – and Stella Feehily's play The Lightest Element at the Hampstead Theatre. One of Variety’s 10 Brits to Watch, Annes won Best Actress at the BAFTA Cymru 2024 Awards for her work on S4C’s Bariau / Bars and also recently appeared in the BBC’s Wolf and Channel 4/S4C’s The Light in the Hall. Joining them will be an exciting ensemble cast, to be announced very soon.
This ground-breaking production weaves together Welsh and English, exploring Welsh identity and bringing fresh resonance to the timeless tale of love and conflict. Using Shakespeare’s original text alongside J. T. Jones’s acclaimed 1983 Welsh-language translation, the dialogue will alternate fluidly between languages, highlighting the poetry and politics at the heart of the play.
Director Steffan Donnelly has assembled a superb creative team to stage this ambitious production. Designer Elin Steele, who recently worked with the company on Huw Fyw, will lead on set and costumes, with Dyfan Jones as composer, music director and sound designer and Ceri James as lighting designer.
Having performed several seasons at Shakespeare’s Globe as an actor, this is a full-circle moment for Theatr Cymru’s Artistic Director, Steffan Donnelly, as he returns to the venue with this bilingual production:
“I’m absolutely thrilled to be making this bilingual version of one of Shakespeare’s enduring plays, exploring the limits of language and a society pushed to the edge. I’m excited to collaborate with Steffan and Annes who are both exceptional actors, along with a large ensemble cast of talented Welsh performers and an outstanding creative team.
As with all our productions, we will tour all over Wales, but for the first time in Theatr Cymru's history, our work will also be seen on a major London stage. Shakespeare’s Globe’s Sam Wanamaker Playhouse is a theatre like no other, a totally live space with its perfectly crafted intimacy ideal for this play. It’s such a privilege to collaborate with the Globe’s welcoming and passionate team and I’m looking forward to audiences across Wales and London experiencing our new version of Romeo a Juliet.”
Romeo a Juliet is the first Welsh-language production to be staged at Shakespeare’s Globe. Michelle Terry, Artistic Director at Shakespeare’s Globe, said:
“I could not be more proud or excited to welcome Steffan and his exceptional company to The Globe, and equally proud and excited that it is with this ground-breaking production that in both form and content is asking us to come together because of our differences not in spite of them. I am equally honoured that Steffan has chosen The Globe as Theatr Cymru’s first ever major London theatre in which to share their important work.”
Bilingual captions will be available throughout the Welsh tour, as well as a BSL performance with interpreter Cathryn McShane at Cardiff’s Sherman Theatre on 1 October 2025.
Romeo a Juliet will tour Wales from 29 September 2025. The dates for the London run will be announced soon.