Local lad Bally Gill has hit the big time, starring as Romeo in the RSC’s current production of Romeo And Juliet. What’s On caught up with the Coventry-born actor to find out more...
Everyone knows the tragic tale of Romeo And Juliet, the most famous love story of all time: love at first sight turns from passion to murder and, finally, suicide.
The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) debuted their new production of the Shakespeare classic last month, and bagging his first RSC lead role (as Romeo) is local lad Bally Gill, born and bred in Coventry.
“I went to a school that didn’t really have a drama department,” says Bally, “and I didn’t really have a love of Shakespeare growing up - until I went to drama school and realised how brilliant he was. I was always told, if you can do the classics - if you can do Shakespeare - you can do anything in drama because of its range of emotions and situations. It’s just brilliant writing. I think Shakespeare is surprisingly accessible because you can say it in your own accent and it’s fine - it’s for you. Hopefully at the RSC we can get more diverse age groups and people of all backgrounds interested in Shakespeare.”
Bally believes more can be done to widen the demographic in terms of audiences for Shakespeare plays. Part of the problem, he says, are misconceptions about how accessible Shakespeare’s work is, due to the density of the language.
“We did Coriolanus last year, and the text is so political, so it can be so dense - very right-wing views against very left-wing views. So for an audience, it can be quite challenging. It’s interesting to consider which of his works keep getting done over and over again. With Romeo And Juliet, for instance, I think he was writing it for everyone; not just for kings or academics, but for me. He’s writing from his heart in his early career, which really translates. I’ve done a couple of his plays now, and I’m in Macbeth at the moment too, so I can really see how the use of his language and his style has changed in later works like Macbeth. It’s really interesting to see how he developed and became more political and clever in his works.”
The RSC production of Romeo And Juliet keeps very tightly to Shakespeare’s original script, with only a few minor alterations, but is contemporary in terms of style of set and costume. But don’t think flashy guns and garish Hawaiian shirts, like Baz Luhrmann’s famous film version starring Leonardo DiCaprio (which Bally was shown in secondary school). It’s far grittier than that.
“I did watch Baz Luhrmann’s version in school. If you look solely at Romeo, and Leonardo DiCaprio’s performance, he was a Hollywood star and a heartthrob, so was playing a very different Romeo. I had that version in my head, but when I went to audition, I discovered a very different Romeo, one who was more lethal and dark - he kills two people! I think with the RSC production, there’s a link to what’s happening in the UK now in terms of freedom of expression, particularly for younger people feeling ostracised by the older generations. We’re taking it in a more urban direction, in a Verona-London alternative universe. There are no guns, we’re using knives instead, and certainly no phones, so that mix makes it very interesting. All these emotions that are running rampant through this world give it a very different style, which I don’t think has been done before by the RSC. People ask me if it’s traditional dress, and I say, ‘No! You wouldn’t get all these different people from different backgrounds all in doublet and hose’. I mean, I’d love to be in that dress, but we’re not doing that version. We aren’t doing a posh-sounding version either; we all keep our own accents. Yeah, very much like how London is a melting pot for everyone - we’re keeping that sort of essence.”
In keeping with the melting-pot concept, Bally believes that more should be done to ensure diversity in the theatre.
“I think we have responsibility in theatre to be gender-equal and show more black and ethnic minorities on stage. It’s very telling of this generation that there’s a massive change in theatre, and it’s becoming more diverse. There is, however, a certain stereotypical demographic that’s seen coming to the theatre, particularly to Shakespeare. It’s important that we break down these walls and stereotypes, to get more people to come and watch what we do. I think we need to invite people in, because it can be intimidating to walk into a theatre. If I wasn’t in theatre, I think I would find it very hard to come to the RSC and watch a play. Also, in terms of theatre ticket prices, it’s expensive. We just do whatever we can to help make theatre affordable and open for all.”
It’s planned that Romeo And Juliet will tour the UK in 2019, after its initial residences at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon and the Barbican in London. Bally is uncertain about what the future holds for him, but is certainly enjoying immersing himself in the job at hand.
“I always used to think about the future, but right now I’m really enjoying playing Romeo and being at the RSC. I have a long time to think about what the next step will be. I really love just being given the ball of the RSC and being able to run with it. Then, if nothing happens after, nothing happens! I’ve had this experience and it’s honestly mind-blowing. I never thought it would happen, and I’m embracing all of it and learning as much as I can from everyone and anyone who’s willing to help me. I can take that wherever I go next.”
Romeo And Juliet shows at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, until Friday 21 September.
Local lad Bally Gill has hit the big time, starring as Romeo in the RSC’s current production of Romeo And Juliet. What’s On caught up with the Coventry-born actor to find out more...
Everyone knows the tragic tale of Romeo And Juliet, the most famous love story of all time: love at first sight turns from passion to murder and, finally, suicide.
The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) debuted their new production of the Shakespeare classic last month, and bagging his first RSC lead role (as Romeo) is local lad Bally Gill, born and bred in Coventry.
“I went to a school that didn’t really have a drama department,” says Bally, “and I didn’t really have a love of Shakespeare growing up - until I went to drama school and realised how brilliant he was. I was always told, if you can do the classics - if you can do Shakespeare - you can do anything in drama because of its range of emotions and situations. It’s just brilliant writing. I think Shakespeare is surprisingly accessible because you can say it in your own accent and it’s fine - it’s for you. Hopefully at the RSC we can get more diverse age groups and people of all backgrounds interested in Shakespeare.”
Bally believes more can be done to widen the demographic in terms of audiences for Shakespeare plays. Part of the problem, he says, are misconceptions about how accessible Shakespeare’s work is, due to the density of the language.
“We did Coriolanus last year, and the text is so political, so it can be so dense - very right-wing views against very left-wing views. So for an audience, it can be quite challenging. It’s interesting to consider which of his works keep getting done over and over again. With Romeo And Juliet, for instance, I think he was writing it for everyone; not just for kings or academics, but for me. He’s writing from his heart in his early career, which really translates. I’ve done a couple of his plays now, and I’m in Macbeth at the moment too, so I can really see how the use of his language and his style has changed in later works like Macbeth. It’s really interesting to see how he developed and became more political and clever in his works.”
The RSC production of Romeo And Juliet keeps very tightly to Shakespeare’s original script, with only a few minor alterations, but is contemporary in terms of style of set and costume. But don’t think flashy guns and garish Hawaiian shirts, like Baz Luhrmann’s famous film version starring Leonardo DiCaprio (which Bally was shown in secondary school). It’s far grittier than that.
“I did watch Baz Luhrmann’s version in school. If you look solely at Romeo, and Leonardo DiCaprio’s performance, he was a Hollywood star and a heartthrob, so was playing a very different Romeo. I had that version in my head, but when I went to audition, I discovered a very different Romeo, one who was more lethal and dark - he kills two people! I think with the RSC production, there’s a link to what’s happening in the UK now in terms of freedom of expression, particularly for younger people feeling ostracised by the older generations. We’re taking it in a more urban direction, in a Verona-London alternative universe. There are no guns, we’re using knives instead, and certainly no phones, so that mix makes it very interesting. All these emotions that are running rampant through this world give it a very different style, which I don’t think has been done before by the RSC. People ask me if it’s traditional dress, and I say, ‘No! You wouldn’t get all these different people from different backgrounds all in doublet and hose’. I mean, I’d love to be in that dress, but we’re not doing that version. We aren’t doing a posh-sounding version either; we all keep our own accents. Yeah, very much like how London is a melting pot for everyone - we’re keeping that sort of essence.”
In keeping with the melting-pot concept, Bally believes that more should be done to ensure diversity in the theatre.
“I think we have responsibility in theatre to be gender-equal and show more black and ethnic minorities on stage. It’s very telling of this generation that there’s a massive change in theatre, and it’s becoming more diverse. There is, however, a certain stereotypical demographic that’s seen coming to the theatre, particularly to Shakespeare. It’s important that we break down these walls and stereotypes, to get more people to come and watch what we do. I think we need to invite people in, because it can be intimidating to walk into a theatre. If I wasn’t in theatre, I think I would find it very hard to come to the RSC and watch a play. Also, in terms of theatre ticket prices, it’s expensive. We just do whatever we can to help make theatre affordable and open for all.”
It’s planned that Romeo And Juliet will tour the UK in 2019, after its initial residences at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon and the Barbican in London. Bally is uncertain about what the future holds for him, but is certainly enjoying immersing himself in the job at hand.
“I always used to think about the future, but right now I’m really enjoying playing Romeo and being at the RSC. I have a long time to think about what the next step will be. I really love just being given the ball of the RSC and being able to run with it. Then, if nothing happens after, nothing happens! I’ve had this experience and it’s honestly mind-blowing. I never thought it would happen, and I’m embracing all of it and learning as much as I can from everyone and anyone who’s willing to help me. I can take that wherever I go next.”
Romeo And Juliet shows at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, until Friday 21 September.