ROMEO & JULIET
ASB Waterfront Theatre
15 Jul – 9 Aug
Tickets are available HERE.
Romeo & Juliet – the greatest love story of all time – or is it the sorry tale of a couple of hormonal teenagers whose mad crush leads to death and destruction? Or… maybe, Romeo and Juliet are just incidental to the power play between the alleged adults in the room? In this production, The Auckland Theatre Company takes Shakespeare’s most renowned work in an unexpected direction – reading between the lines, creating glorious little sub-plots and breathing life and passion into all the secondary characters.
For those who’ve somehow missed seeing one of the numerous films, or regularly produced theatrical productions of Romeo & Juliet, the basic premise is as follows. Two great families in Verona, Italy; the Capulets and the Montagues have been feuding so long no one remembers why. The Capulets are planning to wed their teenage daughter, Juliet, to the handsome and wealthy Paris.
Young Romeo Montague has a mad crush on Rosaline and decides to sneak into a Capulet ball, where she will be in attendance. But when he arrives and spies Juliet, he is besotted and forgets all about Rosaline. The unworldly Juliet has never experienced this kind of attention and immediately falls for him.
After the ball, she stands on her balcony and declares her love for Romeo to the night sky – unaware the Romeo is lurking in the bushes below. They swear their undying love, and the next day, with the help of Juliet’s nurse, they secretly marry. But… their two houses are feuding – the couple will be torn apart – oh how the plot thickens!
Director Benjamin Kilby-Henson has envisioned a Romeo & Juliet set in 1960s Verona that breathes fire into every character and explores that thing called love in its innumerable forms. Yes, Juliet (Phoebe McKellar) is a breathy, fresh-faced innocent: but Romeo (Theo David) has that undeniable hormone-driven physicality driving the teenage male, despite the purity of his love.
Juliet’s mother Lady Capulet (Beatriz Romilly, who broke hearts in last year’s Girls & Boys), who was married off in her early teens to the much older Lord Capulet, is still a young woman, still full of passions her husband can’t satisfy. What is her relationship with Juliet’s soon-to-be betrothed, Paris (Jordan Mooney)? Paris is the cheekiest of suitors!
And what of Romeo’s friends, Mercutio (Ryan Carter) and Benvolio (Liam Coleman)? What bond drives them to the point of life and death? Then there’s Juliet’s Nurse (Courtney Eggleton), the enabler who’s lost everyone she loves? And Amanda Tito in the multiple roles of Death/Petra/Apothecary/Prince – stealing every scene?
Kilby-Henson’s vision and direction brings us a full cast of fascinating characters vividly adding an unexpected depth and richness to every moment. But he could not have done this with movement director, Katrina George. Shakespeare’s play has not been rewritten to add context and motivation to his characters – it’s all done through sheer physicality, pratfalls, slapstick, suggestive moves, mime and unexpected touch. Storytelling through movement, not language. While the play remains a tragedy, it is also comic farce.
All this theatrical splendour takes place on the most sumptuous of sets. Dan Williams stage is filled with history, literally adding layer upon layer with each passing scene, a visual feast. This was enhanced with the glorious lighting and effects by Rachel Marlow and Bradley Gladhill from Filament Eleven 11. Robin Kelly delivered a gorgeous sound design, incorporating evocative 60s hits. I did feel a little bit let-down by the costume design by Daniella Salazar. 1960s fashion is iconic, vibrant, and I felt her choices, while authentic, were a bit staid – perhaps this was the brief she was given, but it seemed a missed opportunity.
Romeo & Juliet has never been more exciting to experience live, even if you think Shakespeare isn’t ‘your thing’.
ROMEO & JULIET
ASB Waterfront Theatre
15 Jul – 9 Aug
Tickets are available HERE.
Veronica McLaughlin
Photos by Andi Crown
