‘Romeo & Juliet’ producers respond to racist comments against Francesca Amewudah-Rivers

“Any abuse will not be tolerated and will be reported,” the producers said on Instagram.

‘Romeo & Juliet’ producers took to social media to condemn a storm of racist comments directed towards black actor Francesca Amewudah-Rivers, who stars as Juliet alongside Tom Holland in the West End theatrical production.

The Jamie Lloyd Company released an Instagram statement on April 5th, addressing the “deplorable racial abuse” following the announcement of their casting,

“This must stop. We are working with a remarkable group of artists. We insist that they are free to create work without facing online harassment.

“We will continue to support and protect everyone in our company at all costs. Any abuse will not be tolerated and will be reported.”

 

 

 

 

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The company proceeded to comment on a wider issue of harassment within the entertainment industry,

“Bullying and harassment have no place online, in our industry or in our wider communities. Our rehearsal room is full of joy, compassion, and kindness. We celebrate the extraordinary talent of our incredible collaborators. The Romeo & Juliet community will continue to rehearse with generosity and love, and focus on the creation of our production.”

The full cast for Shakespeare’s renowned romantic tragedy was announced on March 28th. Tom Holland’s role as Romeo marks his first return to the stage since starring in Billy Elliot: The Musical as a child.

Before Juliet, Francesca Amewudah-Rivers was known for her role in Jack Whitehall’s ‘Bad Education’ and also holds several theater credentials.

Alongside Holland and Amewudah-Rivers, the cast also features Freema Agyeman, Michael Balogun, Tomiwa Edun, Mia Jerome, Daniel Quinn-Toye, and Ray Sesay.

‘Romeo & Juliet’ will be directed by Jamie Lloyd, previously known for Sunset Boulevard, The Effect, and A Doll’s House.

Scheduled to grace the Duke of York's Theatre in London from May 11 to August 3, rumors are already swirling about the potential for the show to make a transfer to Broadway.