Tom Holland blows kisses and waves as he thanks fans after Romeo And Juliet show

Spider-Man superstar Tom Holland blew kisses and waved as he greeted fans from the balcony of a theatre after making his West End return in Romeo And Juliet.

The British actor, 27, showed off a shorter haircut for his leading role in Jamie Lloyd’s production of Shakespeare’s romantic tragedy.

He stars opposite Francesca Amewudah-Rivers as Juliet Capulet in the eagerly anticipated production in the capital.

Appearing on the exterior balcony of the Duke Of York’s Theatre after the show, Holland was joined by friends as he clapped for the crowd of waiting fans and said: “Thank you guys, thank you so much, we love you all, thank you.”

He later left the theatre wearing jeans, white trainers and a grey Celine hoodie with a black leather satchel slung across his body, when he again blew kisses and waved before climbing into a silver car.

He wrote on Instagram that the show was “a highlight” of his career.

Sharing a group photo of the cast inside the theatre bar, he wrote: “Tonight was the start of something so special. I’m beyond proud of our cast and crew who have gone above and beyond in every way.

“I can’t wait for the rest of the run. Tonight was truly a highlight of my career and I’m so glad I get to share it with these incredible people. Love you all and see you tomorrow!”

The part marks Holland’s first major theatre role since his debut in Billy Elliot: The Musical at the Victoria Palace Theatre in 2008 as a child star.

The opening preview performance of Romeo And Juliet on Saturday was unexpectedly cancelled.

Pictures released ahead of the performance on Monday show Holland in character staring into the distance in a grey hoodie and matching trousers, while another shows him wearing a white vest while standing facing Amewudah-Rivers.

A third image shows Amewudah-Rivers pressing against Holland with her hands while they gaze into each other’s eyes, and a final image sees her looking glum as Holland stands behind her out of focus.

Last month, the theatre company behind the West End production condemned “deplorable racial abuse” directed towards one of its stars.

“This must stop,” a statement said.

“We are working with a remarkable group of artists. We insist that they are free to create work without facing online harassment.

“We will continue to support and protect everyone in our company at all costs. Any abuse will not be tolerated and will be reported.

“Bullying and harassment have no place online, in our industry or in our wider communities.”

Romeo And Juliet has been staged hundreds of times in the West End and The Crown actor Josh O’Connor and Irish star Jessie Buckley appeared in a version of the play, filmed for TV inside the National Theatre in 2021.

Other actors to play Romeo on stage include Harry Potter star Alfred Enoch, Lord Of The Rings actor Sir Ian McKellen, Game Of Thrones’ Sean Bean and Bodyguard actor Richard Madden.

The new version has been billed as a “pulsating new vision of Shakespeare’s immortal tale of wordsmiths, rhymers, lovers and fighters”.

Holland is world-famous for playing the title role in the latest Spider-Man superhero movies, including Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) and Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019).

He has also starred in psychological thriller The Crowded Room and historical drama Wolf Hall on TV.

Romeo And Juliet will run at the Duke Of York’s Theatre until August 3.