Romeo and Juliet

Synopsis

The story of frustrated young (illegally young in modern terms) love and death and the vendetta between two families in a tight-knit Italian community. One of Shakespeare's most popular and enduring dramas it has also been re-done as film, ballet, musical (most notably "West Side Story") and ice spectacular!

Our Review:

25 April 2002

BTS's director, Miles Gregory, says that Shakespeare should be fun, fast and furious. He castigates the traditional approach to the texts and adds that there's nothing better than a boozy audience - which makes it strange that the Shaw Theatre bar stays firmly closed before this production. A pity, as the audience surely needed something to deaden the effect of one of the most witless Shakespearean productions I have ever seen. p> Most theatregoers are happy to accept that the bard's text can be tampered with, most are happy to accept modern dress productions, and most think it's entirely laudable that new companies should try to attract new audiences. What is surely unacceptable is cutting the play savagely and unnecessarily. By reducing the running time to just over two hours, it may be easier on our attention span, but a great deal of the impact is lost. And why does Gregory change the text to make Juliet 16 years old? Does he really believe that the implications of pedophilia ...

Read more of the review

Latest User Review

USER: Whatsonstage.com - 9 May 2002:

I agree- absoolutely as Shakespeare should be done- full of spirit- energy- completely blows the cobwebs away. Having the young 80s backdrops makes it much more accessible to young people, and having the nurse as a monty python style character appeals to all. So much to like- what is ther to hate?!...

Read more and add your own review