Theatre lovers put their anxieties behind them as Hollywood star Tom Holland finally made his long-awaited return to the West End last night.
Lucky ticket holders told of their concerns over whether the performance of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet was ‘to be or not to be’.
Many told of their relief the show was to go on after all despite the behind the scenes drama which led to the opening night being cancelled due to ‘technical delays’.
As she waited to meet up with a friend outside the Duke of York Theatre, mental health nurse Charlotte Carver, 25, told MailOnline: ‘It’s very exciting. My friend messaged me and let me know last night about the show being cancelled at the weekend.
‘I was a bit apprehensive that it would happen again but was more excited than anything that it meant that we would be getting to see the opening night. That was an added bonus that we weren’t expecting.
![Tom Holland returns to the West End stage in Romeo and Juliet after opening night was unexpectedly canceled due to technical issues 2 Theatre lovers put their anxieties behind them as Hollywood star Tom Holland finally made his long-awaited return to the West End tonight. The actor is pictured leaving the Duke of York Theatre in London on Monday following his first performance of Romeo & Juliet](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/14/00/84822563-13414169-Theatre_lovers_put_their_anxieties_behind_them_as_Hollywood_star-m-31_1715641633782.jpg)
Theatre lovers put their anxieties behind them as Hollywood star Tom Holland finally made his long-awaited return to the West End tonight. The actor is pictured leaving the Duke of York Theatre in London on Monday following his first performance of Romeo & Juliet
![Tom Holland returns to the West End stage in Romeo and Juliet after opening night was unexpectedly canceled due to technical issues 4 Tom Holland and Francesca Amewudah-Rivers captivate audiences with their portrayal of Shakespeare's iconic lovers, receiving thunderous applause and a standing ovation during the debut performance of Romeo and Juliet on Monday night](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/14/00/84822553-13414169-image-a-32_1715641651720.jpg)
Tom Holland and Francesca Amewudah-Rivers captivate audiences with their portrayal of Shakespeare’s iconic lovers, receiving thunderous applause and a standing ovation during the debut performance of Romeo and Juliet on Monday night
![Tom Holland returns to the West End stage in Romeo and Juliet after opening night was unexpectedly canceled due to technical issues 6 Tom Holland brings the romance of Romeo & Juliet to life during the opening night at the Duke of York Theatre in London](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/14/00/84822557-13414169-image-a-34_1715641688717.jpg)
Tom Holland brings the romance of Romeo & Juliet to life during the opening night at the Duke of York Theatre in London
![Tom Holland returns to the West End stage in Romeo and Juliet after opening night was unexpectedly canceled due to technical issues 8 Hundreds of fans wait patiently outside the Duke of York on Monday night, hoping for a glimpse of Tom Holland after the first performance for Romeo & Juliet](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/14/00/84822561-13414169-image-a-33_1715641685429.jpg)
Hundreds of fans wait patiently outside the Duke of York on Monday night, hoping for a glimpse of Tom Holland after the first performance for Romeo & Juliet
‘It’s really cool. I’ve never been to an opening night of anything ever.’
Charlotte, from Tunbridge Wells, Kent added: ‘They didn’t really explain why Saturday’s show was cancelled. It was all very vague – they just said something wasn’t quite ready. I would have been very disappointed if we had turned up to be told the show wasn’t going to go ahead but we’re good to go.
‘I absolutely love theatre. I’m probably more into musicals but this was an opportunity I didn’t want to miss.
‘We’re both big Tom Holland fans. He’s such a big star now I’m sure a lot of people came just to see him.
‘We booked at the end of April. We missed out in the first sale, then they released more for under 30’s and key workers and we got two tickets.’
The Shakesperian tragedy was at the centre of a real life drama after bosses announced the opening night, scheduled for Saturday, had been cancelled due to ‘the technical aspects of the production needing further preparation’.
There had also been fears as to whether Spiderman star Tom would be well enough to perform after he was hit on the head with a golf ball during a charity golf day in Scotland late last month.
The injury led to him missing the Met Gala in New York where he had been hoping to support partner Zendaya, also 27, at the star-studded event.
![Tom Holland returns to the West End stage in Romeo and Juliet after opening night was unexpectedly canceled due to technical issues 10 Tom Holland delivers a riveting portrayal of Romeo, embracing the character's turmoil and passion with a striking bloody appearance on the opening night of the West End show](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/14/00/84822839-13414169-image-a-44_1715641944511.jpg)
Tom Holland delivers a riveting portrayal of Romeo, embracing the character’s turmoil and passion with a striking bloody appearance on the opening night of the West End show
![Tom Holland returns to the West End stage in Romeo and Juliet after opening night was unexpectedly canceled due to technical issues 12 After a captivating performance as Romeo, Tom Holland shows his appreciation to adoring fans by greeting them from the balcony of the theatre](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/14/00/84822795-13414169-image-m-39_1715641747843.jpg)
After a captivating performance as Romeo, Tom Holland shows his appreciation to adoring fans by greeting them from the balcony of the theatre
![Tom Holland returns to the West End stage in Romeo and Juliet after opening night was unexpectedly canceled due to technical issues 14 Tom Holland and Francesca Amewudah-Rivers show their appreciation to adoring fans by waving from the balcony of the theatre after the performance](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/14/00/84822831-13414169-image-a-41_1715641917110.jpg)
Tom Holland and Francesca Amewudah-Rivers show their appreciation to adoring fans by waving from the balcony of the theatre after the performance
![Tom Holland returns to the West End stage in Romeo and Juliet after opening night was unexpectedly canceled due to technical issues 16 Tom Holland waved to fans following the first performance of Romeo & Juliet at the Duke of York Theatre in London's West End](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/14/00/84822837-13414169-image-m-52_1715642165319.jpg)
Tom Holland waved to fans following the first performance of Romeo & Juliet at the Duke of York Theatre in London’s West End
![Tom Holland returns to the West End stage in Romeo and Juliet after opening night was unexpectedly canceled due to technical issues 18 Tom Holland shows his appreciation to adoring fans by waving from theatre's balcony](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/14/00/84822835-13414169-image-a-40_1715641913389.jpg)
Tom Holland shows his appreciation to adoring fans by waving from theatre’s balcony
![Tom Holland returns to the West End stage in Romeo and Juliet after opening night was unexpectedly canceled due to technical issues 20 Francesca Amewudah-Rivers and Tom Holland deliver a captivating performance as they take on the timeless roles of Romeo and Juliet during the highly anticipated premiere of the classic Shakespearean tragedy](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/14/00/84822841-13414169-image-a-43_1715641935354.jpg)
Francesca Amewudah-Rivers and Tom Holland deliver a captivating performance as they take on the timeless roles of Romeo and Juliet during the highly anticipated premiere of the classic Shakespearean tragedy
![Tom Holland returns to the West End stage in Romeo and Juliet after opening night was unexpectedly canceled due to technical issues 22 Tom Holland and Francesca Amewudah-Rivers bow to the audience after their debut performance of Romeo & Juliet](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/14/00/84822843-13414169-image-a-45_1715641953526.jpg)
Tom Holland and Francesca Amewudah-Rivers bow to the audience after their debut performance of Romeo & Juliet
Emma Perry, from Plymouth, said: ‘I was worried when I heard about his golfing injury and that he had got a massive dink to his head. I don’t know if that had anything to do with the cancellation.
‘I booked my tickets in February and have been looking forward to it.’
Friends Jodie Kerr and Katie Bullock, both 25, couldn’t believe their luck after tickets went on sale for the production to coincide with their travels to the UK.
Jodie joked: ‘Thank god it’s going ahead – we came all the way from Australia for this.
‘I’m a big Tom Holland fan. I was very prepared so I created a big group chat with about 10 people involved to ensure we got a ticket. In the end my mum got them and we’re in the third row. We’re so excited. It was more than we could have ever hoped for.’
Student Annaliese Sharma, 17, said: ‘I think it’s a good thing they cancelled it before they put it on because if they were not ready and things went wrong it could have been a disaster.
‘I have faith that they sorted it all out so it’s good to go and I’m really excited.’
Her friend Savannah, 18, said: ‘It happens all the time. I’m sure it’s going to go well. I have high hopes for today.
‘I’m very thrilled and really looking forward to it as I don’t really know what to expect even though I studied Romeo and Juliet for my GCSE’s. They may make some unexpected changes – you never know.’
![Tom Holland returns to the West End stage in Romeo and Juliet after opening night was unexpectedly canceled due to technical issues 24 Tom Holland is seen leaving the theatre too greet his fans after the first performance of Romeo & Juliet at the Duke of York Theatre](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/14/00/84822829-13414169-image-a-47_1715641963280.jpg)
Tom Holland is seen leaving the theatre too greet his fans after the first performance of Romeo & Juliet at the Duke of York Theatre
![Tom Holland returns to the West End stage in Romeo and Juliet after opening night was unexpectedly canceled due to technical issues 26 Adoring fans cheer and snap photographs of the actor as he gets into a car following his debut performance of Romeo & Juliet](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/14/00/84822827-13414169-image-a-46_1715641961578.jpg)
Adoring fans cheer and snap photographs of the actor as he gets into a car following his debut performance of Romeo & Juliet
![Tom Holland returns to the West End stage in Romeo and Juliet after opening night was unexpectedly canceled due to technical issues 28 The first performance for Romeo & Juliet starring Tom Holland drew in huge crowds of adoring fans hoping to catch a glimpse of the actor](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/14/00/84822859-13414169-The_first_performance_for_Romeo_Juliet_starring_Tom_Holland_drew-m-53_1715642358368.jpg)
The first performance for Romeo & Juliet starring Tom Holland drew in huge crowds of adoring fans hoping to catch a glimpse of the actor
![Tom Holland returns to the West End stage in Romeo and Juliet after opening night was unexpectedly canceled due to technical issues 30 Tom Holland interacts with the huge crowd of fans waiting outside the Duke of York Theatre on Monday night as he gets in a car to leave the venue](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/14/00/84822867-13414169-image-m-51_1715642060372.jpg)
Tom Holland interacts with the huge crowd of fans waiting outside the Duke of York Theatre on Monday night as he gets in a car to leave the venue
![Tom Holland returns to the West End stage in Romeo and Juliet after opening night was unexpectedly canceled due to technical issues 32 Fans wait outside the theatre on Monday night in hopes of seeing actor Tom Holland](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/14/00/84822861-13414169-image-a-50_1715642058129.jpg)
Fans wait outside the theatre on Monday night in hopes of seeing actor Tom Holland
‘If something did happen today I would be OK with it as long as they were able to reschedule it and we would get to see it another time.
Another theatre lover Olivia, from Surrey said: ‘We’ve been anxiously refreshing our messages checking for updates. We didn’t hear anything and that was a great relief. There’s been nothing so that can only be good news.
Olivia and her two friends booked tickets for the sold out show in February for just £25.
‘She said: ‘I haven’t seen anything as popular for a long time. I checked yesterday and the only tickets that are available now are for £250. It’s crazy.’