The feud between the Montagues and Capulets is transformed into a modern-day gangland turf war, where the poetry of Shakespeare's text is told through vicious street moves.

Rumble is a hard-hitting, hip-hop inspired Romeo and Juliet - not so much a tale of star-crossed lovers but of rival b-boys and b-girls.

Instead of swords you'll see handstands, body-popping moves and head spins used to play out fight scenes.

Director Markus Michalowski wanted true breakdancers in the main roles: "The dancers' street credibility and backgrounds give the show more rawness. One of the dancers lived near a venue we were rehearsing in. He kept walking past and looking in and said, Let me be involved'.

"We watched him dance and he was amazing so we quite literally got him off the street."

The show was a major hit at the 2004 Edinburgh Festival and took a Fringe First award.

"That was a complete thrill," Markus says. "It was a big relief, as we could have gone bankrupt - we spent so much money getting there. We were outrageously lucky."

Sets are built around mobile scaffolding and screens - replicas of inner-city high-rise flats, smoky dance halls and graffiti-covered street corners.

Little dialogue is used in the production and it does not follow Shakespeare's story scene for scene.

"We omitted the fourth and fifth act," explains Markus, who has a background in circus and physical theatre.

"We basically cheated and left in bits which could easily be adapted. By using Romeo and Juliet we assumed most people know the story."

An original score combines jazz, hiphop and beatboxing. Masks and mime are also used. "I've been stuffing in everything I know," says Markus, who co-founded the company Familie Floez, which brought mime and movement show Ristorante Immortale to Komedia last year.

Markus founded Renegade Theatre specifically for Rumble after meeting producer Zakai Fenerci and choreographer Lorca Renoux at an arts event.

His two colleagues are well respected in hip-hop circles. Zekai Fenerci has been dubbed the "Godfather of the German hip-hop scene", while Lorca was a graffiti artist of the Parisian ghetto.

"It wouldn't have worked unless they had hip-hop backgrounds," Markus says. "It made it easier to convince the dancers we weren't going to compromise their art or background. We let them be themselves."

"Personally, I thought breakdancing had died 25 years ago, but they took me to an international battle in Germany and it really opened my eyes to just how massive it was. Hip-hop is everywhere and because of that I want to make sense of it. The sheer skill and discipline among dancers is mind-boggling. I went to circus school but these guys amaze me. We want to give them a chance to show people what they can do."

The show has received the ultimate accolade: "We've had breakdancing crews come down and they seem to like it. Some have said they'd be interested in working with us."

Starts at 8pm, tickets cost £14 and £10. Call 01273 685861.