The Royal Shakespeare Company will perform an adrenaline-charged, 90-minute adaptation of Romeo and Juliet in school halls and theatres across the Midlands.

The 12-week tour across the English regions will perform in more areas this year thanks to a touring grant from Arts Council England.

The RSC First Encounters with Shakespeare productions are aimed at new and younger audiences.

Opening in Leamington, and showing at Sydenham Primary School from 30-31 January, First Encounters: Romeo and Juliet will travel to Birmingham's Anderton Park Primary School on 18 March and Selly Park Girls' School on 19 March; Swan Theatre RSC on 20-30 March; and Stoke-on-Trent's Springhead Primary School on 18-19 April.

The cast includes a number of actors making their RSC debuts, including Campbell Wallace and Zensi Alleyne who take on the title roles of Romeo and Juliet respectively. Campbell’s theatre credits include Lord of the Flies (Empire Theatre) and Macbeth (Richard Burton Theatre). As a recent drama school graduate, Zensi’s credits include filmed short Girls will be Girls directed by Isabel Steuble-John.Chloe Fenwick-Brown performs for the RSC for the first time as Benvolio and Dinarte Gouveiatakes on the dual roles of Tybalt and Paris. Chloe, who also recently graduated from drama school, appeared in King Lear (West End) and Dinarte’s TV and theatre credits include Doctors (BBC) and Black Swans (Edinburgh Fridge).

Full ticketing information can be found at rsc.org.uk.