ROMEO AND JULIET. To 5 September.
London
ROMEO AND JULIET
by William Shakespeare
Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park.
In rep to 5 September 2002
Mon-Sat 8pm Mat Sat 2.30pm
Runs 2hr 30min One interval
Hilariously funny and devastatingly tragic – this Romeo and Juliet will not disappoint.In an age where Shakespeare is being reborn in the cinema - where audiences are younger and quick off the mark to criticise – it’s a shame there are still so many who are not even willing to give the guy a try. That is why innovative directors such as Dominic Hill are an asset, making Shakespeare accessible and enjoyable not only for dedicated disciples of the bard, but for nervous, inexperienced newcomers attempting the world of blank verse with timidity, but eager to give it a go all the same.
Romeo and Juliet is a story people know, especially after Baz Luhrman’s vibrant and flamboyant film recreation captured audience’s imaginations a few years ago. But this universal familiarity with the story can cause problems for a director, as it becomes more of a task to maintain suspense and attention – everyone knows the protagonists will die.
Hill’s cast rise to the occasion in a superbly energised, tensely engaging and tragically heart-wrenching rendition.
Every member of the cast is scrupulous in the deliverance of their lines, shaping the poetry lyrically and freely, drawing out the humour and the tragedy in stark equilibrium. This sheer contrast is hugely successful: the first half providing rip-roaring laughter like I have never experienced in this play – albeit sometimes on the crude side - and the second accentuating its tragedy simply yet effectively.
Mercucio and Capulet are energetic, exhilarating to watch, even though both characters hateful and unpropitious sides. The Nurse makes her part large in more ways than one with a sincere brashness that really shines.
And Romeo and Juliet play their parts more than persuasively, with a tenderness made all the more apparent by Juliet’s young, naïve, and innocent appearance.
With the trees overhanging the famous balcony and the unrelenting star imagery taking true form in the night sky - cast against Juliet’s inconstant moon - the location enhances the dramatic action.
A production contemporary in feel, set in the dazzling heat of a post-war Italian summer, yet also originality, this depiction of the star-crossed lovers should not be missed.
Monatague: Jon Cartwright
Lady Montague: Audrey Palmer
Romeo: Alan Westaway
Benvolio: Benedict Cumberbatch
Abram: Daniel Crossley
Balthasar: Dominic Marsh
Capulet: Christopher Godwin
Lady Capulet: Liza Sadovy
Juliet: Laura Main
Tybalt: Adam Levy
Cousin Capulet: Michael Medwin
Nurse: Carol Macready
Peter: Harry Peacock
Sampson: Tam Mutu
Gregory: Guy Vincent
Mercutio: John Hodgkinson
Friar Laurence: Timothy Knightley
Escalus: Michael Sadler
Paris: Ben Goddard
Townwomen: Alicia Davies, Abigail Langham, Caitlin Mottram
Director: Dominic Hill
Designer: Francis O'Connor
Composer: Terry Davies
Choreographer: Lisa Kent
Lighting Designers: Jason Taylor
Sound Designers: Simon Whitehorn, Emma Laxton
Asst Director: Ross Ashcroft
2002-08-20 21:22:12