‘Romeo and Juliet’ review
‘Truly, it drips with passion.’
DUCT’s Romeo and Juliet is a spectacle of an adaptation; rich with elaborate set pieces, props and costumes, bursting with music and colour.
This is not the boring Shakespeare you might have encountered in GCSE English Literature; Co-directors Roxy Rayward and Samuel Bentley, assisted by Lily Gilchrist and shadowed by Harriet Miller, have teased out the charm and essence of the complex language with creativity in every scene, and the decision to re-imagine the play in the context of the French Revolution evokes a beautiful aesthetic cohesion, painting the stage in reds and blues.
Much of the credit for the majesty of the retelling should go to the tech and production team, headed by Production Manager Rory Collins, whose handling of multiple large, rolling set pieces and frequent changes is deeply impressive and co-ordinated, conjuring a strongly atmospheric sense of place in combination with expressive, meaningful sound and light changes. In particular, the magic of the balcony scene is elevated (quite literally) to great heights and does great justice to one of the most memorable vignettes in all of theatre.
The stage fighting and movement, here coordinated by Poppy Harvey Wood, deserves every praise; each tackle and blow of the conflict is a little breath-stealing, and every actor occupies the stage with a unique physicality both consistent and characterful.
The star-crossed lovers are played by Charlie Moscrop and Phoebe Murray. This is no small task – hundreds of lines and the weight of the most famous love story in the English language – and yet both make it look easy. Murray plays an excitable and youthful Juliet and delivers a particularly poignant performance in scenes of high emotional content. Moscrop’s Romeo is flush with a masterful lover-boy sincerity, and later, an inconsolable anguish that becomes almost painful to watch. Their meeting scene is sudden and heart-stopping, and their tragic ending cuts deep.
Romeo’s chemistry with fellow revolutionaries Mercutio (Horatio Holloway) and Benvolio (Tori Travers) is evident. Travers brings a vivid personality and camaraderie to the lines, and Holloway’s gradual journey throughout both the Queen Mab speech and the fight with Tybalt is energetic and chillingly memorable. Both make creative use of the stage space with skill and are amusing when acting drunk together.
Henry Skinner carries the role of Friar Laurence with a suitably stoic gravity and Posy Portwood, as the Nurse, is one of the most compelling characters of all, with her initially cheerful energy giving way to a calm resignation, her discovery of Juliet’s death prompting a reverent hush from the audience.
Playing Paris, Jonas Stringer stands out as a star performer, capturing Paris’ fawning and flamboyant sliminess with flawless comedic timing. Ben Oliver is equally commendable, portraying Tybalt as sneering, haughty and threatening. In fact, the whole cast excels in each role, with Lord and Lady Capulet (Edward Clark and Maia Harris Lindop) perfectly capturing cold indifference and spitting anger respectively.
Filled with inspired costuming, dancing, glorious physical comedy and lots of little surprises, this is probably one of the most visually stunning productions I’ve ever seen in Durham; pictures do not do it justice.
I have hardly a critical word to say. Cast, crew and creatives alike handle the sometimes unforgiving length and language of Romeo and Juliet with the tenderness and attention that it deserves and bring the joy, romance and pain to life. Truly, it drips with passion.
By Tabitha Lanyon.