A LOCAL theatre group is preparing for its production of Romeo and Juliet with the help of a Hollywood fight-scene guru.
Steel Valley Beacon Arts, based in Stocksbridge, will stage six performances of the Shakespeare classic in schools and churches in the area this month.
And although the play is traditionally about love there are some infamous fight scenes the actors must learn.
So Kevin Rowntree, who was combat director on Lord of the Rings, was brought in to help with the battle sequences.
Kevin, a committee member of the British Academy of Dramatic Combat, said: "We worked on training and choreography with swords, daggers and a variety of other weapons. We also worked on safety to ensure the centre piece fight will be spectacular.
"The actors really rose to the challenge and towards the end they were as good as some of the professionals I have worked with. It gave them a taste of the intense training actors undergo in the real world."
