Mia Khan on how 'fresh race dynamics' redefine Belgrade’s 'Romeo and Juliet'

A NEW adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet explores “race dynamics” through its diverse cast, featuring actors from non-white backgrounds.

Director Corey Campbell has cast Welsh actress Mia Khan, who plays Juliet, opposite a black actor (Kyle Ndukuba, making his professional debut) as Romeo.

With an initial run at Belgrade Theatre Coventry, the production features original musical scores incorporating rap and R&B, featuring local Midlands artists That’s A Rap (lyrics), and A Class (music).

In an interview with Eastern Eye, Khan said, “Romeo and Juliet is just a timeless classic. When you think of lovers or love stories, you think of Romeo and Juliet. What’s so lovely about this version is that we’ve brought in the elements of politics and race as really important factors. “Having a black Romeo and a south Asian Juliet brings new dynamics, especially with me being mixed-race.”

Khan’s father is Welsh and her mother is Kashmiri.

She added, “The actor playing Lord Capulet (Asheq Akhtar) is south Asian, and Lady Capulet (played by Lauren Moakes) is white. That’s created a really interesting dynamic between the Capulets as a family and the connection of race between the characters. It’s been nice to break away from stereotypes.

“The relationship dynamics between Lady Capulet, the nurse (Natasha Lewis), and Juliet have been highlighted much more by the connection we have over race.

“That was something Corey tried to emphasise. When I’m talking about Romeo, and he is talking about being black – though that’s metaphorical in the Shakespearean language – when you hear it as an audience, you can’t help but connect with it, which has been amazing.”

The actress said, “Sometimes when you’re mixed race, and I’m quite whitepresenting as well, it can mean that people don’t really know where to put you. And it’s the same with Tybalt (Samuel Gosrani) in our version of Romeo and Juliet. He’s also mixed, and sometimes as an actor in casting that can be problematic for finding families or trying to cast people.

“Corey was very clear with me about making sure that it stands with its own kind of autonomy, but adding this element of race has been really amazing for me, actually.

“As a young female performer, I don’t usually get seen. There’s been times where I’ll miss out on things because they want a specific type of person, and it’s been lovely for it not just to be okay that I’m mixed race, it not be a problem, but it be celebrated and highlighted.

Khan (Juliet) with Kyle Ndukuba (Romeo)

Khan grew up in Cardiff and graduated in acting from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in 2023.

Her first professional job was Steeltown Murders, a BBC drama.

She said, “I did that when I was still in drama school, where I worked with Priyanga Burford, who was amazing. She played my mum. Then I did The Motive and the Cue on the West End, which was just an incredible experience. I’ve been quite lucky, actually. In the past two years, I’ve done a bit of everything – radio, film, short films, TV – but this role as Juliet has been my biggest to date, both professionally and personally.

“Leading a cast, being the lead, holding that space, and considering how much stage time I have and what I have to do – this is definitely the biggest thing I’ve ever done.

“In this version, to have the differences being celebrated and highlighted, it’s amazing, and it lends itself to the play perfectly, because it’s all about ‘two households, both alike in dignity’, hating each other. No one knows why. It is never addressed why they dislike each other. They’re very, very similar. It’s just that they don’t get on.”

Romeo and Juliet has an enduring appeal, Khan said, adding, “the play resonates because it’s timeless in the sense that everyone has been in love, everyone has felt those feelings. Everyone has done something really stupid because they love someone, or made a total fool of themselves, or made a bad decision because they’re in love and can’t help but make that wrong or right choice because they’re totally blindsided by it.”

To a question on the representation of minorities in the arts, Khan said, “It’s improving, but it’s so slow”.

“A lot of the time I find it’s tokenistic, rather than being built into the story. That’s why this version of Romeo and Juliet is so wonderful – diversity feels integral and part of the journey. “Sometimes I feel like if you aren’t white, you’re put into the ‘best friend’ box or the ‘funny side character’ role. Even being Welsh, I find that happening. What’s been really lovely about this particular character is that diversity has been brought to the forefront.

“It’s like a pendulum, isn’t it? It’s trying to swing in the right direction. People shouldn’t need to find a reason why Romeo can’t be played by a black boy or why Juliet can’t be played by a south Asian mixed race girl. I think Corey has done a brilliant job of making that come to reality. “There’s a real desire for change. There’s a need for it, and there’s a push, but to be honest, the industry needs to do better at making avenues accessible to people who may not have been able to do it before.

“We’re oversaturated with a certain type of performer, like highlighting the upper middle-class public-school man, because they’ve always known how to get into the industry. What I think we need to start doing is making change from the ground level – doing productions like this, allowing people to see themselves represented on stage.”

She added, “Kyle, for example, is a working class black boy f r o m west London who didn’t have anyone who was an actor in his family. It’s really important to see people like me – a regional girl from Wales who had no avenues into acting at all – being able to do it, so that others know they can do it too.

“If the industry as a whole makes itself more accessible to people who maybe don’t have actors in their family, or don’t have producers or directors as their aunties and uncles, that’s when we’re going to be able to see some real, actual active change.”

Describing her journey, Khan said, “I’m from Cardiff. I don’t have any actors in my family, though my cousin has just started acting. My mum is Kashmiri, and she is mixed race as well. I came into acting later in life.

It was never really a profession I thought was possible. I associated acting with famous people on screen and celebrities, rather than seeing it as a profession. But I always loved it. I received a scholarship to a drama school to do a Young Actor Studio course at Royal Welsh. I was taught by working actors who were teaching on the weekends and then performing in plays. These were people working at the RSC and the National Theatre… acting suddenly became a much more accessible option for me. Seeing people who were making a living from acting made me feel like it was something that I could do.”

Khan said her parents were not keen on her dream to be an actress as they wanted a “secure and stable” profession.

Another still from rehearsal

“My mum wanted me to become a solicitor. I got the grades to do that, but I had to be quite firm and say I didn’t want to pursue that career. Now my mum is my number one fan and my biggest supporter, though she still finds the acting profession terrifying. It really makes me want to work hard for her. I knew she’d love me no matter what I chose to do, and she just wanted to support whatever path I took,” she added.

Asked what her advice would be to future Asian talent, Khan said, “Do it. It’s going to be really, really hard, but make sure you have a fulfilled life outside of it. The opportunity is there for the taking. I wish there was more representation, but the more of us there are, the better it’s going to be. Don’t be afraid of it just because no one else in your family has done it before. That was something that I really had to grapple with – just because no one else in your family does it doesn’t mean that you can’t do it.”

Romeo and Juliet will run at Bristol Old Vic from next Wednesday (12) to April 5 and at Hackney Empire from April 23 to 26.