Romeo and Juliet

Romeo & Juliet is an interesting piece as the focus is naturally drawn to the two named protagonists, but the roles of the supporting characters is always interesting. For example, would any of it play out the way it does if it weren’t for the roles of the Nurse and the Friar? The overall message of unity over division and love over hate is sadly as relevant in today’s world as it was when it was written over 400 years ago.

Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona where we lay our scene………but wait! Russian soldiers, revolution style posters and fair Verona has become wartime St Petersburg. The versatility of Shakespeare to be reset into a myriad of scenarios and time periods is tempered only by a director’s vision and I thought this was an innovative and excellent choice that worked brilliantly. I liked the use of the original footage on the TV screen at the beginning to really get us in a revolutionary mood although the soundtrack could have been a little louder to fully immerse us. The opening chorus was done as a voiceover which worked well.

A challenge over suitable venues lead to the use of the lovely marquee, the idea of open-air Shakespeare is all well and good until one factors in the British weather (as mercurial as our Romeo!) so a marquee is a fantastic compromise. Well done for covering the playing area to soundproof it as the standard floorings in these things are incredibly noisy. This was a lengthy production but gripping so the time flew by. There were also some very good examples of stage fighting with some incredibly convincing slaps delivered!

The set was relatively simple but very effective. Flats across the back of the stage created the generic backdrop and cleverly housed the television/screens with a raised area to the front which worked well as the balcony and for other functions. I liked the concept of the hooks attached to the front to easily change the way it was dressed. The other items to create different scenes were quickly and efficiently reset throughout the play by a very efficient stage crew. I liked the effect of the voile curtains around Juliet’s tomb, and I was sat at an angle so when the front was opened, I could still see the actors. I think had I been sat to the side, I would have preferred to be able to see the actors and their expressions rather than the gauzy tableau which was created.

Props, again were very simple but extremely effective and well executed. I thought the stage blood for Mercutio’s death was a great touch without being over the top. I would have preferred to see glasses and bottles with fluid in them for a little extra realism. As regards costume, everyone will be set for the Moorlands winter as it was greatcoats for all! The soldier costumes had a nice air of authenticity overall. There was a slight mix of styles across the non-military costumes and I did particularly like Juliet’s costume although her boots didn’t quite fit in with her aristocratic bearing as by the second act, the sole was falling off but the actor did a great job to not trip over it!

The lighting changed nicely to complement the different settings of each scene so even as darkness fell outside, the playing area was well lit.

This was a very strong cast in full control of the material. There had been adaptations to the text to allow for the relocation to Russia but it didn’t jar at all (other than a few pronunciations of Moscow in the American style which did) and I loved the asides that were dropped in from time to time in a more modern vernacular. The cast appeared to be having a great time which gave a fabulous energy to the production and pace.

It didn’t surprise me to see Connor Price’s background given the excellent performance as Romeo that he delivered. His palpable energy filled the marquee and the extremes of emotion that Romeo goes through were very well demonstrated. He cleverly kept the audience involved with little “in jokes” such as with the wall (talking of scaling the orchard wall whilst rolling his eyes at the stage wall which was about a foot high!). His Juliet also delivered a very good performance (I noted the script change regarding her age thus avoiding the usual elephant in the room) and Lux de Lioux gave a very convincing portrayal of a young woman deeply in love to the point of obsession.

Samantha Hughes-Johnson as Nurse to Juliet put in an almost scene stealing performance as Juliet’s loyal servant and confidante! Maternal figure, busybody, messenger and plotter – all aspects of the Nurse were very well executed with some lovely comedic moments. Our other key plotter, Friar Lawrence was very well portrayed by Dan Ede Smith throughout the production with some particularly nice anguish displayed at the end as he realises the impact of his hand in proceedings.

Lord Capulet (Jason Greenwood) did a great job of morphing from magnanimous party host to domineering tyrant expecting to be obeyed in all things. I loved his portrayal but felt the volume dropped a little in places though certainly not when he was dealing with Juliet’s defiance. Lady Capulet (Samara Stephens) was played with a little more warmth than I have seen before as it could be argued that she treats her daughter like little more than an item to go to the best bidder. It was quite nice to see a softer approach, showing that she is as much a pawn in her husband’s household as Juliet. The Montague’s don’t get quite the airtime that the Capulet’s get but were well executed by Peter Callaghan and Izzy Ellerton.

If the Nurse almost stole the scenes, then the actual thief has to be Sarah Lewis as Mercutio. A fantastic performance capturing the bawdy essence perfectly and giving an extremely authentic portrayal in the drunk scene (these are way harder than they look!) as well as a well-balanced death scene. You definitely made an impact every time you walked on stage; it was a fabulous performance.

Our other key figures, Escalus (Martha Hermolle), Paris (Rich Gilbert), Benvolio (Zach Bethall) and Tybalt (Miriam Lucy) were all competent, confident and well executed performances throughout, adding to the proceedings whenever they appeared. No Shakespeare play would be possible without the smaller parts to add richness to the story telling and the story could not be told without them! These roles were in good hands with Stephen Haynes, Izzy Ellerton, Samuel Askey, Kayleigh Sims, Caroline Stokes, Tim Ray, Isaac Ellerton, Hazel Evans and Tracey Callan Johnson. A special shout out to Hazel Evans and Isaac Ellerton for holding your own amongst such a strong cast and I look forward to seeing how you grow and develop into other roles moving forwards.

An excellent performance that I enjoyed very much so thank you all for a lovely evening. I look forward to returning.

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