ROMEO & JULIET
Image credit — Marc Brenner
Romeo & Juliet by Shakespeare, produced by The Jamie Lloyd Company
How do you breathe life into a tale as old as time?
Jamie Lloyd makes his mark on the city of Verona by infusing this production of Romeo & Juliet with his signature minimalism. Grunge-like auras encompass the production, with dark beats from Micheal J Asante, and a refined cast of 11 (two of which are camera operators) who spend the performance cloaked in black.
This production was one shrouded in anticipation as Tom Holland returns to theatre for the first time since 2008, alongside the wonderful Francesca Amewudah-Rivers as Juliet.
Tom Holland is a refined but masterful Romeo, and Francesca Amewudah-Rivers shines as a fresh and impressive Juliet. As Romeo’s affections dim for his previous interest, Rosaline, Romeo sets his eyes on Juliet and the fateful love story begins.
Initial interactions between Holland and Amewudah-Rivers spark with electricity, with delicate kisses and carefully placed hands; the chemistry between the two is palpable and clear to see. Holland is a more bashful and quietly giddy Romeo, in contrast to Amewudah-Rivers, a delightfully cool, at times comedic and more assured Juliet. While Holland's Romeo is not outwardly energetic, (whether in grief or love) his restraint is praiseworthy — his emotions, though subtle, are earnest and conveyed with sincerity and skill.
As we know, many others have a hand in the story of Romeo & Juliet, and it is these characters that provide even more reason to deliver praise. On stage, while Shakespearean dialect is not erased, each cast member leans into an accent that could very much be their own. Juliet’s father Capulet (Tomiwa Edun) adopts a Nigerian accent, Mercutio (Joshua Alexander-Williams) and Benvolio (Nima Taleghani) inner-city London, and Juliet’s nurse (Freema Agyeman) a Cockney accent. This touch not only gently brings the production into the modern day, but also adds a quiet touch of relatability.
It is in these characters, we find some of the most stellar performances of the production.
We’re captivated by Joshua-Alexander Williams and his praise-worthy performance of Mercutio, finding it hard to believe that this is his professional stage debut. He is a skilful and confident Mercutio and delivers a devastating performance in the altercation between himself, Tybalt, and Romeo. Special mention must also go to Tomiwa Edun's Capulet, who leads a charged and captivating scene as he grapples with his daughter's disobedience.
Freema Agyeman is simply brilliant as Juliet’s nurse and right hand, sending messages for the star-crossed lovers and fiercely defending her subject from the wrath of her father. Agyeman radiates such a palpable love for Juliet, their relationship is tender, full of laughter, and fundamentally a real pleasure to see.
Jamie Lloyd’s cast excels not only in their traditional theatrical performances, but also with the incorporation of live streaming to the show. In many scenes, the cast is either absent from the stage, finding themselves in other parts of the Duke of York Theatre performing, while the footage is live-streamed to the audience. In other moments, the cast performs on stage while the live stream provides an alternate viewpoint.
For the most part, this adds a meaningful dynamism to the show, and for this, we give Jamie praise. As Mercutio is fatally wounded, we see his bloody face strewn across the screen, and as Romeo and Juliet spend their final moments together, we see this from a bird's-eye view. It imbues the production with an impressive cinematic feel, executed seamlessly without any technical hitches.
At times, however, this device takes us out of the play—most notably, as we see Juliet in the Capulets' ballroom, which is in fact the brightly lit lobby of the Duke of York Theatre.
This theme of feeling detached from the play seems to occur on a few occasions—a consequence of a range of artistic decisions. Under Jonathan Glew’s direction, much of the dialogue between cast members is delivered directly to the audience (or towards other places on stage). While this is impactful at times, allowing us to see the full range of emotion on their faces, it does also hinder the display of chemistry between characters.
Most notably, as the Nurse discovers her beloved Juliet, presumed dead, her grief-stricken cries are lost in the heavy black curtains at the back of the stage, robbing us of her emotion as she faces away from the audience. For the most part, we appreciate Soutra Gilmour’s minimalist set, skilfully illuminated by Jon Clark's lighting. However, at times, the staging creates a void that further disconnects us, with an absence of a balcony, vial of poison, or dagger; much is left to the imagination.
All things considered, Romeo & Juliet is bold, heartfelt and quite surely a Jamie Lloyd Production. Francesca Amewudah-Rivers is our Juliet, skilfully making the role her own, and alongside Holland, the pair crafts an emotionally charged, original and captivating portrayal of Shakespeare's star-crossed lovers.
By Shore Delano.
Romeo & Juliet is showing at Duke of York Theatre until 03 August
★★★★☆
