Only Love: A Fresh Cut of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet strips the classic down to its beating heart—just Romeo, just Juliet, and just Shakespeare’s words. Born from a self-imposed challenge by its creator, Madeleine Smith, to tell the story using only the title characters, this bold adaptation reimagines the timeless tale of love in a world divided by hate.

​

Every line now belongs to Romeo or Juliet. Every moment becomes a direct address. And when the script calls for a third hand? That’s where you come in. Select audience members are gently brought into the story—handed a prop, asked to hold a letter, or simply to hold a character's gaze—as part of a unique, immersive experience that brings Shakespeare’s words closer than ever before.

​

After receiving rave reviews at its debut in the 2023 Capital Fringe Festival and being featured in the Washington Post, Only Love was invited to tour Bermuda in 2024 with the Devil’s Isle Shakespeare Co.—an honor that speaks to the power and universality of this intimate retelling.

​

Crafted during the COVID-19 shutdown when human connection was in short supply, Only Love is not just a retelling—it’s an invitation. To feel. To participate. To remember what it’s like to sit in a room of strangers and be part of something beautiful together.