Ché Walker's The Frontline, which premiered in the 2008 season, will also be revived, alongside a new play by Trevor Griffiths and a new version of Euripides' Helen by Frank McGuinness.
In a press statement, artistic director Dominic Dromgoole said, "At Shakespeare's Globe, each new performance feels like a new burst of energy and a new beginning. The 2009 season of Young Hearts celebrates the heedless joy of youth, a love of life and the enduring passion of our audiences."
Dromgoole will top and tail the season himself directing Romeo and Juliet, which kicks off the season beginning performances April 23, 2009 (Shakespeare's birthday), prior to an official opening April 30, for a run in rep to Aug. 23, and the closing production of Love's Labour's Lost, which begins performances Sept. 25, prior to an official opening Sept. 30, for a run in rep to Oct 10. As You Like It begins performances May 30, prior to an official opening June 8, for a run in rep to Oct. 10, and Troilus and Cressida begins performances July 12, prior to an official opening July 22, for a run in rep to Sept. 20.
Ché Walker's The Frontline will return in Matthew Dunster's production, beginning performances May 5 prior to an official opening May 8, for a run to May 23. The play features 23 actors who bring modern-day Camden onto the Globe stage. Euripides' Helen, presented in a version by Frank McGuinness (Someone Who'll Watch Over Me), marks the Globe's first excursion into full-scale Greek drama; it begins performances Aug. 2 prior to an official opening Aug. 5, for a run in rep to Aug. 23. The third new play of the season is A New World by Trevor Griffiths (Comedians, the film "Reds," co-written with Warren Beatty), which revolves around the British revolutionary Thomas Paine, and begins performances Aug. 29, prior to an official opening Sept. 3, for a run in rep to Oct. 9.
The theatre will also mount summer tours of productions of The Comedy of Errors (running May-August) and A Midsummer Night's Dream (running June-September). Dates and venues will be announced at a later time. Public booking for the season opens Feb. 14, 2009, at the box office, 020 7401 9919, or by visiting www.shakespeares-globe.org.
