Having enjoyed Bareknuckle Theatre's previous productions " A Midsummer Night's Dream" and ( to a lesser extent) " Twelfth Night" I was anticipating their version of "Romeo & Juliet". I was concerned, however, that the problem of the Gate Theatre's stage and accoustics might spoil this most intimate of tragedies. I am pleased and relieved this was not the case.
Director Simon Riordan wisely employed vocal coach Clare Hovey to ensure that most of Shakespeare's beautifully poetic language was intelligible. (Sadly, though the noisy Air Conditioning units made certain passages indecipherable).
The director is passionate about trying to connect to a modern audience more used to watching "X Factor" type shows, producing no frill theatre eg no props, quick scene changes with a lot of dialogue delivered on the way to or from the stage. Similarly, unnecessary scenes and speeches are cut to ensure the action is continuous and more relevant to an audience with an apparently
short attention span.
The purist may object to certain choices, having an interval before Romeo kills Tybalt, an Irish dancing sequence and Juliet awaking for one last kiss with Romeo before he dies. But, that is the point of the company. If you want a more traditional version go to the Royal Shakespeare Company, but with Bareknuckle you never know what is coming next, good, bad or indifferent it is not dull.
Firstly and foremostly it is a tragedy which only works if you care about the characters. Fortunately, the two leads were well cast and believable together. What Tom Barker (Romeo) lacked in the more poetic, romantic first half he more than made up for with vigour and passion in the second half. You truly believed Juliet was the love of his more experienced life.
In contrast the innocent ( not quite) 14 year old Juliet is a notoriously hard role for any actress. For me Laura Jeffs was the triumph of the night beautifully capturing the joy of a girl's first love, rebelling against parental control and completely convincing as a deflowered virgin after her wedding night.
Special mentions must also go to Alan Humphreys as Mercutio ( proving again he is the clearest speaker, best-equipped to deal with the sound problems of the Gate), Laurence Patrick as the bullying Capulet and Matt Humphries under-stated as the under-written and unfortunate Paris.
It is good to see this company back on track and looking forward to tackling the little performed
blood-bath that is " Titus Andronicus" next Spring. I shall be there.
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