A scene from Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare @ Shakespeare’s Globe. Directed by Lucy Cuthbertson.
©Tristram Kenton 02-24
It’s funny – when someone mentions a modern-day adaptation of “Romeo and Juliet”, a lot of people my age will automatically think of the 1996 Baz Luhrmann version. I even saw it mentioned on Facebook just the other day. But it’s depressing to think that 1996 was almost 30 years ago and even that film probably looks dated to today’s teens. So it’s time to reboot the reboot and that’s where this gritty, urban production comes in. The language is (nearly) all Shakespeare’s own but the setting is bang up to date and set in a world that will be sadly familiar to many watching – that of teen-on-teen violence and floral tributes piled up on street corners, decorated with teddy bears and blown-up versions of the victim’s profile pic.
The production notes for this said it was aimed at 13+ kids so I decided to take Reuben with me instead of Eva for this one. He’s studying GCSE Drama so any theatrical input he can get is valuable and he’d never been to the Globe before, unlike Eva who was there exactly a year ago. We had a small diversion to Canary Wharf along the way but timed it perfectly so not only could we swing by Leon for waffle fries and nuggets but we could also bump into the friend who we always seem to see at these kinds of things.
Just a note to say that evening performances do get a little chilly in the open air, even though we were in the sheltered bit. I had packed an extra jumper and was grateful for it by the end. The cushions for the wooden benches are also much appreciated. The show is abridged, so a 90 minute running time but even so, that might feel a long time if it weren’t for the cushions.
©Tristram Kenton 02-24
So, we all know how Romeo and Juliet starts, don’t we? Two households both alike in dignity etc….it’s essentially a synopsis of the whole play spoken from (presumably) a narrator who has seen the ending. What this production quite cleverly did was to frame it as a vigil for the young people lost during the course of the play. Ladies Capulet and Montague held up those larger-than-life size profile pictures while spitting out those classic lines with something approaching bitterness. It put a new spin on something that’s been seen so many times before. And the cyclist doing wheelies in the middle of the audience was entertaining but also set the scene….this was going to be about how real teenagers act and the impetuous things they do. A bike can be used as a weapon when it’s trapping a victim in place and the tricks weren’t just impressive – they were ominous too. The character is listed in the programme as “Fate” and he appears every time a significant moment is about to happen, like a harbinger of doom but in a hoody. It’s unsettling but effective.
©Tristram Kenton 02-24
Right from the first scene, the violence feels real and dangerous. The police have to break up the fight and it’s down to the Prince to implore all concerned to “Throw your mistempered weapons to the ground” – a slogan that adorns the lecturn in almost an electioneering style. Safe to say it falls on pretty deaf ears – if it didn’t, there wouldn’t be much of a story really.
As it’s abridged, there are chunks of dialogue cut out – the characters still bite their thumbs at each other but don’t talk at length about it – and the plot moves on rapidly. Via the medium of phone-snatching, the Montague gang gain their invite to the Capulet party and Romeo evens finds a gold tracksuit for the occasion. The most stylish character is, of course, Mercutio (Ashley Byam) who matches his “dancing shoes with nimble soles” with a pretty groovy gold shirt. In fact, everyone in the party scene is in gold which makes for some spectacular visuals when they’re dancing.
It’s always interesting to see how the Capulets and the Montagues are differentiated from each other, especially when they’re dressed to match. I noticed that Capulet and the Nurse both had Welsh accents and Tybalt had a Scottish accent – I don’t know whether that was deliberate casting to contrast with the London accents of the Montagues or whether it was just coincidental.
If you’ve noticed I’ve skimmed over Juliet’s introduction don’t worry. I’ll tell you about her now. Juliet is a really tricky character to get right as she’s so very young but has to do all the heavy lifting of the plot and much of the verse. So it needs experience but also naivety, which is a difficult balance to pull off. Looking at her acting CV, I’d say that Felixe Forde was a little older than 14 but she does a great job of portraying a young teenager, with all the flippancy and impulsivity that has the character dancing one minute and committing to a lifelong relationship the next. I mean, that lifetime is only another few days but she’s not to know that. She has the teenage attitude and speech patterns but is confident and fluent with Shakespeare’s words. She’s well matched with Hayden Mampasi, who plays Romeo as wide eyed and optimistic almost right to the end. They are a very convincing couple, with good energy and a balance between the tragic and the flippant – just look at them taking selfies in bed when Tybalt’s blood is probably still under Romeo’s fingernails:
©Tristram Kenton 02-24
Speaking of Tybalt, his was another character that felt convincingly teenage with all the anger and damaged pride that comes with your enemies seeming to mock you. Played by Liam King, Tybalt is aggressive and reactive and is beaten into submission by Capulet (Gethin Alderman) to stop him ruining the party. Capulet is certainly played a lot harder in this scene than in other productions I’ve watched – there’s always a suggestion that he’s abusive towards Juliet (forced marriage when she’s still grieving, anyone?) but in this version he’s also abusive towards not only Tybalt but also his wife. The whole family seems to walk on eggshells around him and it’s not surprising that Tybalt then takes his own anger out on Mercutio.
The fight between the two of them is my favourite scene – isn’t it everyone’s favourite scene? – and it’s well executed with plenty of realistic-looking stage blood. I think this might be where the 13+ rating comes in. Mercutio is cocky right up to the point of being stabbed and even afterwards while Tybalt and his friends are cold-blooded and furious. It is almost too realistic and can be challenging to watch, knowing that it’s being played out on a regular basis not far from here. But it’s an important message and a good illustration of how destructive and wasteful knife crime can be. The only thing that jarred slightly for me is that all the teens still seemed to come from quite privileged families and the reality is that it’s often poverty that forces young people into gang warfare. But there’s no real good way to change that without hugely altering the text so I can understand why it had to be that way.
©Tristram Kenton 02-24
There were a few alterations, like several characters being played by women (Benvolio, the Prince and the Friar). That worked fine for me though as those characters represent the voices of reason in the midst of all the male aggression so it makes total sense for them to be female. I think a few lines were tweaked to accommodate these changes but it was fairly seamless. Roo and I debated the role of the Friar on the walk home because they really make some poor decisions towards the end but they are certainly well-meaning to start with and not the last person to make a crazy decision in the hope of bringing about peace.
While we’re talking about deviations from the script, it would be remiss of me not to mention the hallucinatory sequence while Juliet is taking the draught of living death. I won’t say too much in case of spoilers but if you ever wondered how you’d add a hen party vibe to this scene, there’s no need to wonder any more….it was an interesting addition and in a play that’s so well known anything fresh is to be welcomed. Definitely a touch surreal though.
So definitely a 21st century take on a classic and some purists might find it uncomfortable in parts but I’d encourage you all to go with an open mind. This is a teenage story and it only makes sense through a crazy hormonal filter, which is definitely evident in both the romance and the violence. It’s relatable for teens and young adults and would make a great first Shakespeare for anyone who finds it hard to connect to the more traditional versions. It’s only on for another ten days so be quick though. Booking details are at the bottom.
On the way home, we walked over the wobbly bridge as is fast becoming traditional post-Globe. You just can’t beat these night-time views:
What you can beat is a signal failure at Hackney Downs, which meant no trains home and an interesting diversion on the Stansted Express via Stratford to Tottenham Hale and then a bus home from Walthamstow. What with that and the Canary Wharf trip, my Google Maps timeline for yesterday looked like a toddler had been let loose with a sharpie on my phone. Happily though, we bumped into a friend at Liverpool Street so had company for the crazy adventure. But if you’re wondering why this review is both late and a little vague, that probably explains it. I’m a bit tired. It was a great night out though.
“Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank: Romeo and Juliet” is on at the Globe until 13th April. For tickets and more info, click here.
Disclaimer: I received free tickets in exchange for a review. All opinions remain honest and my own.
©Tristram Kenton 02-24
