Reviewed by Glenda Pearce
"I have more care to stay than will to go"
Ask anyone, what is the greatest, most well-known, love story ever told and they'll say, "Romeo and Juliet".
Not only do we know the story, we know from the words of the Prologue, even as Shakespeare's audience did, that this is the fatal story of star-crossed lovers, who "do with their deaths bury their parents' strife". One of the most frequently performed plays of Shakespeare for 400 years, there are many challenges inherent in bringing the famous tragedy of the star-crossed lovers to the audience with a fresh perspective.
Secondly, a number of carefully orchestrated "surprise" elements are adroitly interwoven so that we are never entirely able to anticipate what will happen next. This keeps everyone entirely engaged and entertained. Director Dr Giles Gregory has deliberately accessed the potential comic elements of the play and, in doing so, significantly lightens the action of the first half . Much of the comic action is deftly delivered to the groundlings, as it would have been in Shakespeare's time. The character of the Nurse (Amy Usherwood) is superbly created, with a lusty enthusiasm for her life, with comic panache, compelling facial expression and garrulous vocal delivery, and with psychological credibility. She continued to surprise and delight us throughout the play. As the love story progresses, we see much youthful delight from Juliet, a little (entirely credible) silliness, many dance scenes and well-executed movement (Brigid Costello) and musical interludes.
Other outstanding performances amongst a very talented cast come from Benvolio (Tom Wingfield) and larger-than-life Mercutio (Rutene Spooner), who are totally credible in their roles, with skillful comic delivery as well as subtle sensitivity, balancing the complexity of many of Shakespeare's characters. Lord Capulet (Stephen Lovatt) has his many sides captured with depth and truth, and we genuinely see his anger at Juliet's inexplicable refusal to marry Paris, which raises the emotional stakes.
Unexpected and innovative costume designs (Chantelle Gerrard) are part of the surprise. Known for creating the spectacular, Chantelle has co-ordinated a superb range of creative angles, such as the Queen Elizabeth look for the Prince (Renee Lyons), and creative and surprising Mardi Gras twists for those attending the masked ball, that contrast effectively against the beautiful, detailed classical designs and the juxtaposition of the contemporary costumes for the street fighters.
What makes any Shakespeare production great is the artistic director's ability to recognize and work with Shakespeare's text - his extraordinary ability to bring his characters to life by a simple turn of phrase, by a breath they take, by the pause they make, the looks they share, the jokes they make.
Without any doubt, all this is being superbly captured with comic twists, unanticipated fun, unexpected surprise elements, psychological truth and textual understanding by the entire team behind this edited production (2 hours and 15 minutes) at the Pop Up Globe. Don't miss out - see all of the final season of the Pop Up Globe's SUMMER OF LOVE.
Season runs December 13 - March 1
Tickets: https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2019/romeo-and-juliet/auckland/ellerslie
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