Children can engage with Shakespeare’s great tragedy in special daytime performances.

The Orange Tree is showing a new production of Julius Caesar, directed by the theatre’s community and education director Henry Bell, that will be suitable for children aged seven and above.

This production is part of one of the theatre’s education programme and will run alongside storytelling workshops that will tour primary schools around the borough throughout May and June.

Using Shakespeare’s text, the play has an immediate, modern setting and will use mobile phones, laptops and Twitter as key communication devices.

Bell says: “Every year the Orange Tree Theatre puts on a Shakespeare play for primary school children, our longest running education project which works with about 4,000 pupils aged between 6-11 years old.

“This year we have a modern take on Shakespeare’s most performed Roman play, Julius Caesar. Helicopters, Twitter and even a Harlem Shake all bring alive the tragedy for an audience that, more often than not, have not seen a Shakespeare play before."

The specially-abridged version of the play is about an hour long and is an ideal introduction to the language, themes and story of Shakespeare’s work, which children may not have come across yet.

Primary Shakespeare Julius Cesar at the Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond, May 18, and June 22 at 11am. Tickets cost £5. Visit orangetreetheatre.co.uk or call 020 8940 3633.