AN ACCESSIBLE production of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet aimed at students as well as regular theatregoers opens in St Albans tonight (Thursday).

Local theatre company OVO is collaborating with Irrational Theatre to put on the play at the Maltings Arts Theatre in St Albans.

Director and designer Paula Chitty of Irrational Theatre said: “My passion was to produce a more artistic and accessible version of one of Shakespeare’s finest and most heartfelt plays. Romeo in my version is a student which was inspired by his line in Act 2, scene 2: ‘A thousand times the worse to want thy light. Love goes toward love as schoolboys from their books, But love from love, toward school with heavy looks.’

“I also wanted a more innocent setting for the star-crossed lovers so our show has a flavour of the black and white 1960s but with lots of surprises in store. We are also using Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet.”

Evening performances at 8pm run from tonight until Saturday and from next Thursday, May 16 to Saturday, May 18, with a final performance at 6pm on Sunday, May 19.

Tickets at £10 with concessions £7.50 can be booked online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/ovo, by phone on 0844 8700 887, or in person at St Albans Tourist & Information Centre.