Cat Steals the Show During Romeo and Juliet Ballet Finale in Izmir

A performance of Romeo and Juliet by the Imperial Russian Ballet Company in Izmir, Turkey, was disrupted on Monday when a ginger cat wandered onto the stage during the final death scene. The company was presenting a new adaptation of William Shakespeare’s tragedy, which will mark 430 years since its publication next year.

As Romeo lay on the floor after drinking poison, the cat entered unexpectedly, lay down beside him, licked itself, and played with the actor’s hair. The performers kept going without breaking character.

The actress playing Juliet continued her grief-stricken performance, crying to the dramatic music, while the audience burst into laughter. Juliet then dragged her lover’s body a short distance away from the furry intruder, but the cat treated that as an invitation to play and kept bouncing around and batting at Romeo’s hair. Reuters posted video of the moment on June 14, 2026.