Norfolk homecoming for Shakespeare Festival actor

When The Lord Chamberlain’s Men take to the stage in Norwich Cathedral’s Cloister for this weekend’s sold-out Shakespeare Festival it will be a rather special homecoming for one of the cast.

For Edward ‘Ted’ Bartram, who plays Mercutio, Lord Capulet and Friar John in the production of Romeo and Juliet, was brought up in Norfolk and was a pupil at Norwich School in the Cathedral Close.

He developed his love for the performing arts at school and joined the Norfolk Youth Music Theatre at 11 years old, performing in many of their productions at Norwich Playhouse and the Maddermarket Theatre, before going to university in Exeter and moving to London to continue his actor training at Mountview.

Ted, who has given Friar John a Norfolk accent in the show, said he is thrilled to be performing in his home county again.

He said: “It’s been over a decade since I took to the stage in Norfolk. I have so many wonderful memories of performing in Norwich’s theatres growing up and I’m so excited to be returning, particularly to as beautiful a setting as the Cathedral cloisters. It’s going to be quite an emotional experience!"

Ted is not the only member of The Lord Chamberlain’s Men with Norfolk links, as TLCM’s artistic director Peter Stickney grew up nearby in Saxlingham Nethergate, went to Long Stratton High and Hewett School, and first developed his love of theatre while acting in high school shows.

Peter said he was particularly enjoying presenting a new production of Romeo and Juliet this year as it was this play that first brought him to join TLCM 16 years ago.

He said: “This incredible play is where my journey with The Lord Chamberlain’s Men first began. I performed in Romeo and Juliet with the company in 2007 and fell in love with the play, the company and everything about the tour straight away. The incredible locations we played at (and still do), the audiences and all the people we met, the amazing experience of performing outside and that stunning story with Shakespeare’s magical poetry! I am so excited to return to this story now; to re-examine this play and bring it to fresh and exciting life.”

The Lord Chamberlain’s Men will perform Romeo and Juliet in Norwich Cathedral’s Cloister on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 July 2023 at 7pm. Both performances are sold-out.