A Fever Dream of Movement and Emotion”: Henry Maynard on Reclaiming Romeo & Juliet from Politeness

Flabbergast Theatre’s Romeo & Juliet, arriving at Wilton’s Music Hall this June, is anything but conventional. Directed by Henry Maynard, this bold reimagining plunges Shakespeare’s classic into a world of choral tragedy, physical improvisation and heightened emotion. With influences from Butoh, Bouffon and Grotowski, Maynard’s take offers a visceral, unflinching look at love, violence, and power. Here, he reveals why the play still haunts him, how trance and exhaustion fuel his process, and what it means to truly honour Shakespeare without being bound by tradition.

What initially drew you to Romeo & Juliet?

I once played Romeo when I was 19, and I have always had a soft spot for the play. I was especially interested in how to fully embody the tragic nature of the play – there is some wonderful romance, but it serves as a fleeting moment of beauty in an otherwise cruel and violent world ruled over by an oppressive and venal patriarchy. Juliet tries to take ownership of the course of her life and is destroyed because of her ‘hubris.’ An opportunity to explore choral tragedy, informed in part by our work with Butoh, Grotowski and Bouffon, was a tantalising prospect.

You’ve described this production as a “fever dream” of movement and emotion. As a director, can you talk us through how that vision came to life during the creative process?

We work through an extensive and collaborative devising process that often uses trance and exhaustion to provoke improvisations that take us away from the mundane and into the world of the sacred and profane. I try to encourage the creative vision of the ensemble to help us find unusual and wonderful alternatives to naturalism, seeking subconscious expressions of creativity to keep away from the staid and polite.

What do you hope audiences walk away with after experiencing this rendition of Romeo and Juliet?

I hope that they will be moved by the emotional journey, that they will be transported away from normal life and into a heightened reality. I want to show them something that they have never seen before — something that is flabbergasting!

How do you approach Shakespeare in a way that makes it contemporary whilst retaining its essence?

We are focused on the storytelling. I am respectful of the verse — the skill and dexterity with which it is delivered is very important to me — however, I feel that a little irreverence is a good thing. We ride the story and transpose it through the lens of Flabbergast to create something that is fractured and different. I love history, and often my shows are set in the past, but I quite enjoy elements that pervert that expectation. This production is no exception to that.

How has your personal relationship to Shakespeare — as a writer, director, or audience member — shifted over time?

My first proper encounters with Shakespeare were at school in English Literature lessons, where I found it quite dry. Indeed, we did Romeo & Juliet, but I’m fairly sure we skipped over all the sexual innuendo and tension. I then performed as Romeo at the age of 19 and fell in love. I have been lucky enough to have performed in many Shakespeare plays, and I am looking forward to playing Benvolio and Lord Capulet in this adaptation. I started directing Shakespeare with Macbeth in 2018, which has been a long, joyful journey. They are not always such easy births, and they really are huge undertakings. I think I may take a little break away from directing them, but I have plans for Lear and Titus, amongst others, so I’m sure I will be back soon enough. As an audience member, I find them frustrating more often than not. I tend to think that they are often polite and unimaginative, which is frustrating when you have felt and seen what they can be. Fortunately, Shakespeare is so brilliant that even then, they can still entertain and inspire. Of all the criticism that could be (and sometimes is) levelled at our approach — it won’t be dull!

Flabbergast Theatre’s Romeo and Juliet will be at Wilton’s Music Hall from 10th – 21stJune 2025. For tickets and more information, visit: https://wiltons.org.uk/whats-on/romeo-and-juliet/