At the age of 24 Stephen Moyer played the role of Romeo in Romeo and Juliet with the Oxford Stage Company directed by John Retallack. Tara Woodward played Juliet and other cast members included Sam Bond, Helen Cotterill, Walter Hall, Leader Hawkins, Richard Henry, John Higgins, Michael Higgs, Carol Redford and Tony Tarrats.
The production ran from July 28, 1994 to December 3, 1995 in various British theatres and included a Japanese tour to Osaka, Nagoya and Tokyo from 7 – 26 November.
The Shakespeare Survey Vol. 49 mentioned that it’s “a fast-moving production, reduced to two hours’ playing time, which developed the theme of lack of communication between youth and age.”
According to the Herald Scotland Retallack’s Romeo and Juliet was “very attractive and sexy”.
In a York newspaper clipping from 30 September, 1994 Stephen Moyer says about Romeo and Juliet:
“The Capulet and Montegue feud means you can play it black and white, set it in Bosnia or Northern Ireland, or have Catholics versus Protestants, because there is that resonance in the hatred between two families. But the other aspect you notice is that it’s so ridiculous that adults still still won’t listen to their kids. There’s a simple message in this play, and that’s the need for communication. That message hasn’t changed over the centuries.”
Stephen Moyer
Another review comes from the Independent and can still be found online here, you can also read the complete article in the below document.
Stephen Moyer’s Romeo is quick to disdain the weakness of love. Enraged at his own folly in trying to make Tybalt and Mercutio see sweet reason, he tears out the most heartfelt line of the evening: ‘O sweet Juliet, / Thy beauty hath made me effeminate, / And in my temper softened valour’s steel]’ That type of manhood, however, is not one this tremulous Romeo can long sustain. After the murder of Tybalt, he blubbers desperately at the Friar, clutching his sleeve and hiding his face in it. As Juliet, Tara Woodward is a bit self- regarding in the love scenes, but gains power as doom closes in.
Review Romeo & Juliet by allstephenmoyer
AllStephenMoyer has obtained an original theatre programme of Stephen’s Romeo and Juliet, which contains information about the show and several photos of the main actors.
These are the photos in the programme featuring Stephen Moyer.
See the complete Romeo and Juliet programme.
Stephen Moyer in Romeo and Juliet by allstephenmoyer
The production included a Japanese tour to Osaka, Nagoya and Tokyo from 7 – 26 November.
Takayuki Ando, Professor of Chukyo University, wrote the following about one of the performances in the land of the rising sun.
Oxford Stage Company Performance in Japan
“Romeo and Juliet”
produced by John Retallack
In the autumn of 1994 the AAC mini theatre was filled with the enthusiasm of young people!
The Aichi Arts Center is not only an opera house. Do you know the first authentic experimental theatre in Aichi? The Oxford Stage Company, which is a popular stage company in England, Attracted a full house for days, and the masterpiece “Romeo and Juliet” strongly captured the hearts of young people.
Opening in dim light. A large lace drape is drawn quietly. The expression of the nobility, lined against the background of a long wall, is dark. The chorus composed by Karl James begins. The pathetic structure is mindful of the 19th century artwork of the Romantics.
This completely captured the eye and the mind of the audience. Faultless juxtaposition, powerful sword fights, natural conversation and above all, a beautiful scene structure. Fifteen scenes are created by combining one lace drape and 12 wood panels. The producer Retallack said Shakespeare wrote his works on the assumption of a travelling performance. This is the answer for the mysterious “two hours” in the prologue, and my own reason for the simple stage devices. Retallack has returned to the original beginnings of Elizabethanperformances and is truly a producer that England can be proud of.
An image of the original Japanese play bill was conserved online.
For more information about Stephen Moyer On Stage visit: https://www.allstephenmoyer.com/stage/
Sources:
aac.pref.aichi.jp 1 & 2
Herald Scotland
The Shakespeare Survey Vol. 49
Twelve Angry Men programme and photo of Stephen Moyer as Tom Sawyer courtesy of the Emery family.
Phwoooaaaaarrrrr! He can be my Romeo any day!!! :)
What a glorious find! Thanks, Shad, for providing. Lovely to see our BG in his younger days, and to experience his Romeo and Juliet through interviews, pictures, reviews and programs.
@Rowena75 I was so thrilled when I saw it on eBay and bought it immediately. We know so little about Stephen’s early career years.
Shad great find, thank you for posting, I’m having such fun reading about Stephen’s early years.
Awesome find! I love the pics especially. My goal is to one day see Stephen on stage (and not just at Paley). I’ll hop a plane immediately upon hearing he’s treading the boards again.
@ThelLou He’ll have a theater filled with Billsbabes!
@ThelLou Me too, can I also come! Shad’s right, we’d all be there. Would absolutely love to see him on the stage too.
WOW !!! What a bargain! completely Unbelievable! Thanks, Shad, I’ve enjoyed every word and every picture …If Stephen is on stage again, of course I sit in the front row .. I would LOVE to see him play theater again .. the girl can always dream .. right, Billsbabes??
@ZuzanaTezera I was so thrilled to find this, I’d been wanting to see the programme for a long time. I bet he made a fine Romeo.
WOW !!! What a bargain! completely Unbelievable! Thanks, Shad, I’ve enjoyed every word and every picture …If Stephen is on stage again, of course I sit in the front row .. I would LOVE to see him play theater again .. the girl can always dream .. right, Billsbabes??
You know Zuz we all sit in the first row if Stephen would play in theatre again :)
Such treasure trove you’ve found Shad. Wonderful information about Stephen’s early career.
He looks uttterly transported, doesn’t he?:
https://www.allstephenmoyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/romeojulietrehearsel3.jpg
I so hope to one day see him do theatre again (if he wants to).
What an awesome find, Shad! Such a great read. Like others have mentioned, I’d give my right arm to see him on stage.
Thanks so much, I loved reading this and looking at all the pictures.
It’s amazing the things you guys dig up! Add me to the list of those who’d definitely go see Stephen in live theatre. There’s nothing like it , you can’t compare live performance with tv or movies, no doubt.
If he’s like most British actors, he’ll go back and forth between theatre and filmed work. Most of them love theatre, but , let’s face it…..the tv and movie paychecks are nicer.
oui je savais
Maleah look at Bill #sexy
Wow he looks SO different!!! I wish he looked like that now!
Wow… He has a tan!
Shocked can’t believe its really him he was a cutie
Stephen was a cute boy, but I think he’s grown more handsome with age:) xx
awww! sooo cute!
he has always been hot
Wow! :o
He looks like a young hip country singer lol
(y)
He looks more like 16 lol
He was so sweet and he is so sweet
Hilarious!
Don’t be fooled by a vamp like him in the punk gear when I was a teenager
And in midsomer.
awwww soo cute and young x
Yep, i did LOL
Yes
Soooooo 1990s! :D
Wow love the earring
Hes like a good bottle of wine… only gets better with age
Handsome then,handsome now!
He’s cute – but with age has come the best
Il est mignon et c’est amusant de le voir sans anna mais Il a pas mal change depuis c’est debut au cinema
Great find!
Hot damn Bill love this pic
Say what? This is Stephen Moyer. HUBBA HUBBA! Anna, you picked a pure gem!
Age has made him better looking.
Interesting.
Se pondrá celosa Ana ajajja
Melisa Bernia
I totally agree with you :-)
Anna was a child Star, just finished The Piano when this pic was taken! Can u believe it?! lol