Having taken part in a few Shakespeare plays myself, I’m all too familiar with the fact that his plays are very heavy in male roles. This can often be a bit of a difficulty when it comes to casting as more often than not, drama departments are overwhelmingly female spaces. In light of that, here are my top tips for dealing with it:

• Don’t be afraid of it. This is definitely my biggest and most important tip. Often, teacher-directors may feel the need to stick to the norm of Shakespeare and keep heavily traditionally gendered casting. However, at CSSF, we are all about reimagining Shakespeare for our modern age and getting the new generation involved. By not being scared to stray from the norms, we welcome a whole new demographic of people into the joys of acting and Shakespeare who may otherwise not feel represented in the sector. Casting other genders in male roles embraces change and diversity and also creates an exciting and new portrayal of classic plays. Don’t be confined to tradition out of fear of new ideas.


• Lean into being different. By experimenting with girls or non-gender conforming people being cast as male roles, you can reimagine how well-known characters would act. Perhaps a traditionally male character could embrace more feminine traits rather than just having a girl act as if she were a man. Often these traits may already be an underlying part of the character. For example, in many of his actions and monologues, Mercutio seems more androgynous than other male characters. This could be enhanced in your version of Romeo and Juliet adding depth to the character.


• Let the students experiment. Most of the time, student-directors or teacher-directors will have a way they want their portrayal of the drama to go. However, if you let your student actors play with their roles, they may bring a different way of presenting their character that may come from personal experience and their own interpretation, rather than confining them to a specific portrayal you initially think of. Adapting to their ideas can evolve your views of the character together. With the right help to develop that character’s personality, they will be able to truly bring the role to life.

Make sure you don’t forget to have fun with it! By reimagining Shakespeare and how you consciously cast your play, you can create new and exciting portrayals of well-known stories that connect with the audience differently but still engage and interest them.

Evie Bray