WHETHER YOU’RE NEW TO SHAKESPEARE OR WELL VERSED WITH THIS FAMOUS TRAGEDY, THIS RENDITION IS WORTH CATCHING

By Rachel Cameron-Potter | Stuff Rachel Says ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Press Invite

A triumph of a tragedy, this modern rendition of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet brings a modern twist to a timeless tale of star crossed lovers.

Brought to the stage by Belgrade Theatre Coventry and Bristol Old Vic, the “two houses, both alike in dignity” in this modern retelling are political parties, with headshots of Lord Capulet (Asheq Akhtar) and Montague (Ellena Vincent) projected on a screen above the stage next to titles “Minister” and “Leader of the Opposition.” Complete with polling results and Parliamentary footage of Nigel Farage and Priti Patel in the play’s exposition, director Corey Campbell draws parallels between warring nobles and privileged politicians, where “leaders fuel division without considering its impact… their conflicts shaping the streets and leaving destruction in their wake.”

The parallels between modern day and Elizabethan contemporary continue in the play’s delivery. Passages of prose faithful to Shakespeare’s original script are fleshed out by musical numbers composed by Coventry-based creatives That’s A Rap, adding to the atmosphere of emotion conveyed by the performers on stage. This musical element not only complements the iambic pentameter Shakespeare’s plays are renowned for, but in positioning the chorus above the stage gives a subtle nod to the Greek tragedies that inspired Shakespeare, where song is used as a plot device. The raps did this particularly well, and I loved those delivered by Dillon Scott-Lewis’s Mercutio, yet other songs – notably Romeo’s balcony ballad – may have been better left on the cutting room floor.

Irrespective of whether the musical numbers were fitting, the cast did a fantastic job to bring Campbell’s vision to life while remaining faithful to the original script. Kyle Ndukuba captured the passion and temperament of Romeo perfectly, from the playful youth pining after Ayesha Patel’s Rosalind at the beginning of the play, to the tormented husband cradling the seemingly-lifeless Juliet (Mia Khan) in the crypt at the end.

Likewise, Mia Khan portrays a headstrong Juliet determined to carve out her own path irrespective of her parents’ wishes, yet maintains the childlike fragility when faced with the prospect of marriage to Paris (Elywn Williams) following the exile of her lover. The soliloquy she delivers after taking Friar Lawrence’s (Yasmin Wilde) potion demonstrates this perfectly, as she remains steadfast in her dedication to be with Romeo, yet is terrified by the prospect of waking up in her family’s burial vault.

Other notable performances came from Andre Antonio as Benvolio and Natasha Lewis as Nurse. Whether delivering bawdy innuendos with suggestive actions or wailing at the sight of her deceased charge, Lewis captured the intensity of Nurse’s emotions throughout, proving to the audience how much she loved Juliet, even more so than the frosty Lady Capulet (Lauren Moakes). As for Antonio, his Benvolio often roused the audience to laughter as he mimicked Romeo’s complaints, yet still brought gravity to the stage when on trial for the murder of Tybalt (Samuel Godrani).

While only at Hackney Empire for a short while, the cast and crew pulled off a magnificent performance, making all those involved ones to watch. Whether you’re new to Shakespeare or are well versed with this famous tragedy, this rendition of Romeo and Juliet is definitely worth catching if you can.

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Photo Credit: Nicola Young