Freddie Fox recalls ‘frantic’ first performance in Romeo and Juliet

Freddie Fox was relieved he didn’t throw up when he replaced Richard Madden in Romeo and Juliet after just 48 hours of rehearsal.
The former Game of Thrones actor injured his ankle while running and his understudy Tom Hanson also hurt himself, leaving director Sir Kenneth Branagh in need of another Romeo for his stage production of the classic Shakespeare play.
The Riot Club and Victor Frankenstein actor was called up to originally share the role with Richard, who needed to rest his ankle, on 22 July (16) and he began rehearsals on the Sunday ahead of his debut on Tuesday 26 July (16).
Freddie had played Romeo in Sheffield, England in 2015 but with completely different staging and choreography and he was thankful his first night went well and the audience were receptive to his performance.
“The first night was like one of those party poppers – an explosion where you have no control over the direction of the streamers,” he told London’s Evening Standard. “The audience were very generous, very appreciative: it was a new experience for them as it was for me. Everybody fed off that energy. Even if it was a little frantic for me, I didn’t trip over my feet and I wasn’t sick on my shoes.”
Luckily for Freddie, he was already good friends with co-star Lily James, who went to his drama school and dated his cousin Jack, and he drove to her home two nights before the show to run through lines and hopes to work with her again soon.
Richard had hoped to return to the role and share the part with Freddie but it was announced last week (ends07Aug16) he had pulled out completely on the advice of his doctors.
The play finishes its run at London’s Garrick Theatre on Friday (13Aug16).