Romeo & Juliet

Reading reviews of Rupert Goold’s Romeo & Juliet, I wasn’t sure what to expect: critics have referenced the modern-day costumes and the simple set with varied opinions. However, the moment Romeo stepped on stage in his hooded sweatshirt and wrinkled jeans I was captivated. We listened to the monologue playing on his audio player which told us about, “two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona where we lay our scene.”

Immediately after the audio-played introduction, a violent stage fight ensued complete with fire exploding from the stage floor. Everyone who came out for the brawl was dressed in lavish Elizabethan costume. I especially liked the male costumes, which incorporated royal maroons and greens, and platform boots like I could have found at stores like Darkside in Camden.

The show continued to surprise me, with its humour. Jonjo O’Neill, who plays Mercutio, brought almost ten minutes of uninterrupted laughter during the first half. After exclaiming, “Romeo, that she were, O, that she were an open et caetera, thou a poperin pear!” and then proceeded to act out the meaning of his words! Mercutio was certainly a favourite, every time he came on stage he captured the audience’s attention and we prepared to laugh. Another humorous moment that I especially enjoyed, was in the beginning when the fighting Capulets and Montagues were ordered to drop their weapons. What the audience expected to be an immediate clatter of swords and shields became a farcical extended performance. Every time we thought all weapons were dropped, someone else would drop a weapon causing laughter with every extra club and dagger. This proceeded for quite some time, and had us laughing from the beginning, setting the mood for the rest of the production.

This said, the comic relief did not detract from the intensity of the love story. I appreciated how the careful portrayals of Romeo (Sam Troughton), and Juliet (Mariah Gale), showed not just two lovers, but too young lovers. There is humour in young love, and Goold was successful in poking fun at how awkward and irrational it is, without denying the strong emotions that are also a reality.

The Courtyard Theatre proved perfect for this production. It opened in July 2006 and will continue to be the main venue in Stratford during the transformation of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. The Courtyard Theatre’s stage configuration, which is a prototype for the redeveloped Royal Shakespeare Theatre, had seating on three sides of the stage. On my second day in Stratford, I had lunch at Oscar’s Deli Café, the food was delicious and local. As the weather warms up, if you are looking for a day trip, I would definitely recommend Stratford. Beyond it being a theatre-loving town, it has quaint Tudor architecture, shops, good food, and feels more relaxed than London.

One of our friends from Orange Tree Theatre, Meg Dobson, will be visiting Stratford on Sunday 25 April, to run in the annual Shakespeare Marathon. Wish her luck!

Photo from Royal Shakespeare Company website

Written By: Trish Langenau