Romeo and Juliet (Temple Church)
Temple Church, with its tombs and thirteenth century effigies beneath the magnificent domed
ceiling of the Round, immediately brings death to mind, making it an atmospheric venue for a play where the opening lines give away its tragic ending.
As part of the headquarters of the Knights Templar, the church is also steeped in a sense of duty, of tradition, and of order – all qualities which bear down remorselessly on Shakespeare’s young lovers as they recklessly attempt to break free of their families’ expectations.
Ben Horslen has directed the action in the round, and John Risebero‘s two-tier set is all that’s needed in these surroundings, with pillars used to great effect – including a lofty appearance in the gallery from the nurse.
The echoing acoustics are perfect for James Burrows‘ almost cinematic soundtrack which adds richness and atmosphere to the action, and is particularly strong during the Capulet feast, although occasionally the soaring volume drowns out dialogue. The lighting from Tom Boucher also works superbly in this environment, with sinister shadows towering up to the roof during fight scenes, and a rich, red glow at the dance where Romeo and Juliet first meet.
Bryony Tebbutt is enchanting as Juliet, full of youthful mischief and liveliness. Her later passion and anguish are stirring, particularly in her suicidal showdown with Russell Anthony‘s benevolent Friar Laurence. Her deeply formal relationship with her parents – Pamela Hall and Andrew Bolton – is also well played, and captures Juliet’s fine-tuned ability to deceive all the adults around her. Helen Evans gives a solid performance as the Nurse, whose adoration of her charge is clear, but vocally she struggles with the unforgiving acoustics of the domed space. And in this modern-day setting, would a nanny who’s a contemporary of Lady Capulet really turn out in a Mrs Overall-style headscarf?
Dylan Kennedy brings a fresh-faced, youthful vigour and energy to Romeo, but there’s a strangely sexless air to his relationship with Juliet, and this is a troubling problem with the production as a whole. There’s more eager politeness than irresistible passion between the young couple – even in their matrimonial bed Romeo seems ill at ease.
The casting also makes Mercutio and Romeo appear unlikely friends, though James Murfitt acquits himself well as the irrepressible and fiercely loyal Mercutio, especially in his knife-fight, directed with flair by ‘dramatic violence’ expert Ruth Cooper-Brown. Russell Anthony brings calm and clarity to Friar Laurence, and his is a reassuring presence among the turbulent, hot-blooded young people, though of course his well-meant intervention ends in disaster.
Antic Disposition, now in its fifth year, has created a production with many fine contributors, but this Romeo & Juliet needs more simmering passion to really set it alight.
