Felicity’s Score: 3 /5 daggers
Romeo and Juliet is probably the most famous Shakespeare play… if you’ve studied high school English then you’ve studied this story (or, Macbeth). The tough job of any modern theatre company is making such an iconic, and commonly known story fresh. SheShakespeare positions this production as a retelling directly reflective of the political quagmire surrounding us today.
R+J gives us a conservative Capulets family, looking to marry their daughter off to a goodly man. Opposing that is the progressive Montague, who are all for any situation that will make Romeo happy. These families, as we well know, are historic enemies. The young love between Romeo and Juliet must fight against the fractured relationships within the people of fair Verona. Can their love be the glue that mends a broken city?
Every detail of this SheShakespeare production feels like the romcom R+J has the potential to be. At the end of the day, Romeo is a self absorbed and capricious teenager ready to fall desperately in love with the next shiny thing, and Juliet is a young teen looking to love freedom; which the rebellion of marrying Romeo looks to provide. (Yes, this review is going to scream of my inherent cynicism of R+Js actual ‘love’ in the Shakespeare play…but…come on…).
Shelley Casey directs an energetic smorgasbord of familiar storytelling, with Prudence Holloway providing a hit-filled soundtrack for the show. The music intermittently switches between being whimsical/endearing and being mismatched for the show. The show runs quick and scene changes overlap – keeping a desirable pace for the Shakespeare classic. Performances from Alexandra Fricot and Sara De Possesse as Mercutio and Benvolio are delightfully spirited, one never tired from their presence on stage. Ebony Nave is wonderfully hilarious as the often intoxicated and emotionally unavailable Lady Capulet – her comic timing brilliant. Audley Anderson nails the brooding and egocentric foundation of Romeo, and Ruby O’Kelly compliments this with her suitably impassioned Juliet. This interpretation is rough around the edges, it feels and looks like a scrapbook, but is endearing in its honesty about the imperfections of all the characters. The show is mostly fun, before rounding off with an impassioned speech from Holloway about the marriage act in Australia. Indeed, #loveislove…even when it’s just the infatuation of two horny teenagers. That sort of (dumb but we’ve-all-been-there) love, just like any other, knows know bounds of gender and sexuality.
Felicity Anderson, Theatre Now
12 – 23 Nov 2019
Venue: Fuse Box Theatre
Theatre Company: SheShakespere
Duration: N/A
Ticket Prices:
Adults $38
Concession/Industry $32
Preview $20
plus booking fee
Tue – Sat 7pm
By William Shakespeare
Romeo and Juliet, presented by SheShakespeare is the story of Juliet, a young woman from a strict and conservative family who falls in love with the only daughter of the Montague family, Romeo.
SheShakespeare presents Romeo & Juliet.
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately reconcile their feuding families.A production of one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays and one of the most famous love stories of all time.
This is SheShakespeare’s third production after two sell-out seasons.
CREATIVE TEAM
Director – Shelley Casey
Music Director – Prudence Holloway
Designer/Photographer – Isobel Markus- Dunworth
Stage Manager – Hannah Crane
Lighting Designer – Jasmin Borsovszky
Set Designer – Amy Hill
CAST
Audley Anderson – Romeo
Sarah De Possesse – Benvolio
Alexandra Fricot – Mercutio/prince/Abraham
Tricia Morosin – Nurse
Ebony Nave – Lady Capulet/Gregory
Jenae O’Connor – Ms. Montague/Balthasar
Ruby O’Kelly – Juliet
Kian Pitman – Tybalt/Paris
& Eleni Schumacher – Lord Capulet/Friar Laurence/Sampson
