CAST

Patrick Buchanan Lord Capulet

Patrick was born in Belfast. He has a BA Hons degree in Theatre studies and English literature and majored in Acting and Performance at the University of Vermont, USA.

Some of his theatre credits include The Man Who Fell to Pieces, The Clean Room and God’s Country (Tinderbox Theatre Company) Ché Guevara’s Night off and Gibralter Strait (Brassneck Theatre Company) Pits and Perverts (Sole Purpose Theatre Company) It’s a Wonderful Wee Christmas, Jingle all the Hairspray and The Nightshift Before Christmas (Theatre at the Mill) Notes On Fallen Leaves and The Runaway (Decomposition Theatre Company)

Television Credits include Bloodlands (HTM Productions) Line of duty (BBC) Warrior (HBO) The Paddy Raff Show (Nice One TV) Farr and Rebellion (RTE/Generation Film Productions) Soft Border Patrol (BBC/ Comedy Unit) Krypton (Warner/Syfy) and The Fall (BBC) Film Credits include The Last Girl (Yale Productions) Maze (Cypress Avenue Films) Shooting For Socrates (New Black Films) High Rise (Film 4/Recorded Picture Company) and Belfast Story (Jolt Me Features)

Patrick is delighted to be working on this fantastic production of Romeo & Juliet and would like to thank Philip and the whole team at The Lyric as well as you the audience for coming and supporting Theatre during a challenging time for everyone

STEVEN COOKE GREGORY / PRINCE ESCALUS’ GUARD

Steven Cooke is a Northern Irish actor and a graduate of Lyric Drama Studio (2020). He has a Musical Theatre DipLCM, APC Stage Combat Distinction and has complete courses in improv and Meisner. He works regularly with David Calvert in physical theatre and has recently attended workshops with Michael Corbidge (voice), Kieran Lagan (screen) and Des Kennedy (text). He also holds a BSc in Architecture and Design.

This is Steven’s Shakespeare debut playing the role of Gregory in Romeo and Juliet (Lyric Theatre), this is his second time on the main stage since his Lyric debut in the role of Jonathan Harker in Dracula (Lyric Theatre). Steven played the role of Professor Anderson in Bluestockings (Lyric Theatre). Other theatre credits include Don’t Fence me in (Blue Chevy) and Paula’s Story (Blue Chevy).

Steven made his screen debut in The Search (Enagh Productions). Foyle Film Festivals Light in Motion Official Selection 2022.

DAVID CRAIG TYBALT / FRIAR JOHN

David is from Banbridge, County Down.

His previous Lyric Theatre castings include Mistletoe and Crime and in the Lyric Drama Studio productions of 55 Days and Eternal Love, before going on to complete his training at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, for which he received a bursary through the Carne Trust. He took part in the Sam Wanamaker festival at Shakespeare’s Globe in London.

His post Drama school productions include Frankenstein at The Euro Theatre Central, Bonn, Germany and Huno at The Other Room, Cardiff. His favourite meal is scrambled eggs on sourdough bread.

Emma Dougan Juliet Capulet

This is Emma’s first professional Theatre debut since graduating from East 15 Acting School in Summer 2021. She last performed in The Lyric Theatre, aged 9, playing a Munchkin in The Wizard of Oz, and is ecstatic to be back.

Other Credits include: Christian Aid (Commerical) 2022, Trifled - The Lyric Theatre (Rehearsed Reading) 2022, Cliffs A New Musical (Workshop) 2022, Vile Stars - Harper Collins (Audio Book) 2022, and Stalemate (Short Film) 2021.

Eugene Evans Count Paris

Eugene is an Irish actor from Whitehead, currently living in London. He began training at Queens University, BA Drama and at the Lyric Drama studio before graduating from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, MA Acting.

Theatre credits include: Teachers (Bruiser Theatre Company) Robin Hood (Hazlitt Theatre) Much Ado About Nothing (Tread the Boards Theatre) The Heresy of Love (Lyric Theatre) Around the world in 80 days (Connected Learning Theatre)

AARON FERGUSON SAMSON / COUNT PARIS’ ASSISTANT

Aaron is a 22 year old actor born and based here in Belfast.

He spent three years studying Drama at Queen’s University Belfast and recently has completed the Lyric’s own actor training course, Lyric Drama Studio in 2021/22.

Aaron has previously appeared in Blue Stockings (Lyric Theatre) and The Trial (Bruiser Theatre Company). As well as performing in two short plays, The Lands and Dead On, as part of the 21 Artists for the 21st Century Program. Romeo & Juliet will be Aaron’s professional debut here at the Lyric Theatre.

THOMAS FINNEGAN MERCUTIO / APOTHECARY

Thomas is from Newry, Co Down. He took part in the Lyric Drama Studio and appeared in their production of Our Country’s Good He went on to train at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama appearing in VS09, and You Can’t Take it with you.

Since graduating he has performed across all mediums. TV credits include Game of Thrones, Line Of Duty, Ups and Downs, and The Windermere Children Radio credits include The freeness of his words, Locked in, and Not Now

Onstage he has appeared in the Lyric Theatre productions Blackout, Here Comes the Night, Lovers: Winners and Losers and the Lyric theatre/ Prime Cut co-production of Red, for which he was nominated for an Irish Times award for Best Supporting Actor.

Finnian Garbutt Benvolio

Finnian grew up in Bangor and now lives in Whitehead.

He trained at the Lyric Drama Studio before moving to Cardiff to study at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Finnian will be making his Lyric stage debut in Romeo & Juliet. His other credits include Youth Without God (Coronet Theatre, London), Casualty (BBC), Bog Child (BBC Radio 4, narrator), Noah’s Gold (Macmillan Publishers International Limited, narrator, Best Children’s Audiobook 2021 – The Times), She and I (Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, narrator).

Twitter @FinnianGarbutt

Adam Gillian Romeo Montague

Adam Gillian is from Co. Armagh but currently lives in London. He trained at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Theatre credits include: Moulin Rouge! The Musical (Piccadilly Theatre); Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (UK/IRE Tour) and Hadestown (National Theatre). TV credits include: Counsel (BBC NI); Hope Street (BBC); Doctors (BBC) and Pan Tau (Caligari Films). Film credits include: Copy That (Causeway Pictures); The Painted Lady (Rachel Coffey Productions); Re:Live (Frontier Pictures) and A Belfast Story (Jolt-Me Features).

Laura is a graduate of Queen’s University, Belfast. Recent theatre credits include: Department Store (Big Telly), Dear Arabella (Lyric Theatre Belfast), Those You Pass On The Street (Kabosh), This Is What We Sang (Kabosh); True North (Tinderbox); Women On The Verge of HRT (GBL Productions and Andrew’s Lane, Dublin).

Her film and television credits include: In The Land of Saints and Sinners , Blue Lights, Nowhere Special, As If There Were Trees, Dalgliesh, Three Families, The Fall, The Woman in White, Frankenstein Chronicle, Small Island, Hidden, Line of Duty, Be More Ethnic, Fifty Dead Men Walking, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Good Vibrations, Fifty Dead Men Walking, Being Special, Beauty Queen, The Most Fertile Man in Ireland and Blackwater Lightship.

Her radio work includes: Pentecost, The Trick of Togetherness, Double Acts, The Dimming of The Day, Kin, The Last Days of Love, Two Doors Down, C.S Lewis Northern Man, Going to The Dogs, The Fall of Commission, My Own Private Lethal Weapon, Our Lady of Sligo, A Flag Unfurled, School for Hope, Property of Colette Nervi, Dollie Mixtures, Riddle of the Sands, The Clearance of Audleystown, Twin Trouble, Hooked (Radio Ulster Series) 20;20 Vision (BBC), Tricycles (Radio 3) and Various (RTE)

Laura is a regular voice-over artist for museums, radio and television.

TIARNÁN McCARRON ABRAHAM / PRINCE ESCALUS’ GUARD

Tiarnán McCarron is a recent graduate of the Lyric Drama Studio (2022), training under practitioners including Michael Corbidge and Annie Tyson.

Tiarnán made his professional screen debut in the short film Marvel Matt (Moose Productions).

His student theatre credits include DNA (Brian Friel Theatre), The Radicalisation of Bradley Manning (Brian Friel Theatre) and Boys (Brian Friel Theatre).

Tiarnán is also an accomplished musician (guitar, vocals).

Romeo & Juliet is Tiarnán’s professional theatre debut, in which he is playing the roles of Abraham and Prince’s Guard.

ROSIE McCLELLAND LADY CAPULET

Rosie originates from Kilkeel, Co.Down and is currently based in Belfast.

Recent credits include Thaw (Replay Productions), Carson and the Lady (Theatre at the Mill) and Brenda’s Baby (C21 Theatre Company)

Other credits include; What the Reindeer Saw, Here we Lie (Lyric Theatre), Operation Elsewhere, The Machine Stops (Big Telly), Plays Aloud, That Scottish Play (Commmedia of Errors), The Real Housewives of Norn Ireland (Grand Opera House), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Terra Nova Productions), The Weein, Tart, Flesh Dense (Red Lemon Productions)

Film and TV credits include; The Last Rifleman (Wee Buns Films), Hope (RAM Productions), Game of Thrones (HBO), Paula (BBC), The Suit (Perchance Films), Take Two (Lamb Films),

Twitter: @RosieMcClellan1

Instagram: rosiemcclelland23

LUCY McCLUSKEY PETRA / BALTHASAR

Lucy McCluskey recently graduated of the Lyric Drama Studio (2022) particularly enjoying working with Michael Corbidge and Annie Tyson. Lucy is continuing her training in stage combat and BSL (British Sign Language).

Her screen credits include My Left Nut (BBC) and several roles as an actor musician (piano, trumpet and vocals) through Extras NI including World on Fire (BBC), Hope Street (BBCNI), and a feature role in BEA’s, music video These Streets of Ours

Romeo & Juliet is Lucy’s first professional theatre credit.

Mary Moulds Lady Montague

Mary Moulds made her screen debut playing Bernadette Devlin in the acclaimed film Bloody Sunday.

She has also been a familiar face working with all the major theatre companies, notably, Marianne Dreams with Replay, Sign of the Whale with Tinderbox, Group with Belfast Ensemble and the Belfast Festival’s Audience Award winner The Suitcase.

In Film and TV, she has appeared in Line of Duty, 37 Days, Give My Head Peace and Year of Greater Love. Most recently, she appeared in the BBC’s Doing Money, the latest series of Marcella the awardwinning feature film Bump Along the Way and the hybrid play Distortion produced by the Mac Theatre, The McCooey’s Live at the Opera House and Shop Around the Corner at Theatre at the Mill. Upcoming, she will be appearing in the new BBC TV drama Blue Lights and the feature film The Last Rifleman

Ray Sesay Friar Laurence

Ray was born and raised in London and trained at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.

Theatre Credits: The Merchant of Venice (Royal Shakespeare Company), Seeds (Pleasance Theatre), Sons Without Fathers (Arcola Theatre), Red Helicopter (Arcola Theatre), Chicken Palace (Theatre Royal Stratford East), 13 (Tobacco Factory).

TV Credits: One Day (Netflix), Doctor Who (BBC), Endeavour (ITV/Mammoth Pictures), Cheaters (Clerkenwell Films), Holby City (BBC), Doctors (BBC).

Radio Credits: Please Use Other Door (BBC Radio 4).

LATA SHARMA ESCALUS, PRINCE OF VERONA

Lata Sharma was born, and currently lives in, Belfast. She trained in Trinity ATCL.

Lyric Theatre credits: Little Shop of Horrors (Lyric Belfast), Splendid Isolation: Anniversary Lockdown (BBC Arts / Lyric Theatre Belfast), Sausage Sodas and Onion Bhajees (Lyric Theatre Belfast Youtube Channel)

Other Theatre credits: Distortion (MAC Theatre Beflast), University of Wonder and Imagination (Cahoots NI), West Side Story (Grand Opera House / Riverside Theatre)

Film, TV and radio credits: Blue Lights (BBC), Walled City Passion (RTE / BBC iPlayer), Splendid Isolation: Anniversary Lockdown (BBC Arts and Lyric Theatre Belfast), Give My Head Peace Christmas Special (Hole in the Wall Gang / BBC NI) United Kingdoms: Reflecting (Pier Productions / BBC Radio 4)

Additional information: Broadcaster (BBC Radio 2, BBC NI), Presenter on Countryfile (BBC Birmingham) and Holiday (BBC London).