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To qualify for the Champion’s League or not to qualify? That is the question in a new production of Romeo and Juliet at the Union Theatre, where the star-crossed lovers are recast as two gay Premier League footballers.

The new interpretation, where Romeo and Juliet are two young men trying to make a career in big league football, will examine modern masculinity via the medium of Shakespeare’s verse.

The production will explore the Shakespearean tragedy through live music and physical theatre to try and convey the passion of a football stadium.

It will be directed by Andy Bewley at the Southwark venue, where it will hope to emphasise that there are no openly LGBT professional footballers in this country. Football will be seen as a religion in the play, with the two lovers trying to progress in their careers against a backdrop of prejudice.

April's unmissable theatre openings 10 show all April's unmissable theatre openings 1/10 Angels in America From April 11, National Theatre 2/10 The Ferryman April 24 - May 20, Royal Court Theatre 3/10 The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui April 20 - June 17, Donmar Warehouse 4/10 The Treatment April 24 - June 10, Almeida Theatre 5/10 The Philanthropist April 3 - July 22, Trafalgar Studios 6/10 City of Glass April 20 - May 20, Lyric Hammersmith 7/10 Junkyard April 19 - 30, Rose Theatre Kingston 8/10 Romeo and Juliet April 22 - July 9, Shakespeare’s Globe 9/10 All The Things I Lied About April 18 - May 6, Soho Theatre 10/10 Cock and Bull April 25-30, Southbank Centre 1/10 Angels in America From April 11, National Theatre 2/10 The Ferryman April 24 - May 20, Royal Court Theatre 3/10 The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui April 20 - June 17, Donmar Warehouse 4/10 The Treatment April 24 - June 10, Almeida Theatre 5/10 The Philanthropist April 3 - July 22, Trafalgar Studios 6/10 City of Glass April 20 - May 20, Lyric Hammersmith 7/10 Junkyard April 19 - 30, Rose Theatre Kingston 8/10 Romeo and Juliet April 22 - July 9, Shakespeare’s Globe 9/10 All The Things I Lied About April 18 - May 6, Soho Theatre 10/10 Cock and Bull April 25-30, Southbank Centre

Romeo and Juliet runs from April 29 to May 20; uniontheatre.biz