In the summer of 2003, the love of Shakespeare brought two actors together for the first time.
Former St Ivo School student Henry Maynard, aged 21, played Romeo in Shakespeare at The George’s (SaTG) production of Romeo & Juliet. Opposite Henry, Steph Hamer, 55, played his mother-in-law, Lady Capulet.
Bitten by the acting bug, both continued performing. Steph went on to perform and direct with a wide range of local companies, including several Shakespeare at The George productions. Henry left for London and a place at the Mountview Theatre School where he graduated in 2006 embarking on a successful professional career and forming his own theatre company, Flabbergast Theatre in 2010.
This summer, 21 years on and the world’s most famous playwright has once again brought them together in Huntingdonshire; with Steph directing this summer’s SaTG production of Romeo & Juliet from June 21st at The George Hotel whilst Henry is on tour with Flabbergast’s production of Macbeth which will be staged at The Corn Exchange, in St Ives, in July.
“Although it was more than 20 years ago, my time with SATG was formative in many ways and gave me the confidence to apply to drama school,” explains Henry.
“I remember performing in the rain, as well as having to wear a very short tunic. Being able to return to my home town after all these years is a great privilege, especially when I found out my on-stage mother-in-law was directing at the same time.”
Steph says: “I remember Henry as a handsome young man in green tights.”
“I had no idea that he’d gone on to be a successful actor and it was only when he came along to our cast’s fight workshop to help hone our knife-fighting skills earlier this year that we bumped into each other again.”
You can win a pair of tickets to SaTG’s Romeo and Juliet at The George Hotel, Huntingdon, from June 21 to July 2, or a pair of tickets to see Flabbergast Theatre’s MacBeth at The Corn Exchange, St Ives, from July 14-17.
To be in with a chance of winning a pair of tickets, answer this question.
Name the birthplace of Shakespeare. Send your entry to: editor@huntspost.co..uk. Please state the production you would like to see. Closing date is June 10.
Buy tickets for the shows: Romeo & Juliet: www.satg.org.uk/tickets
Macbeth: www.thecornexchange.org.uk/whats-on
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