2008 Woodie Awards
Off-ramp production doesn't inspire love
Theater Review: 'Shakespeare's R & J' 2.5 of 5 Stars
By: Maria Adams
Issue date: 10/26/06 Section: LifeStyle
- Page 1 of 1
"Romeo and Juliet" is one of the most well-known love stories of all time. Put into the hands of four teenage boys, however, and the story takes on a new twist.
"Shakespeare's R & J," part of the Repertory Theatre's Off-Ramp series, is a revamping of the classic tale of two star-crossed lovers divided by an ongoing feud. The play takes place at an all-boys Catholic school. By day, the pupils recite lessons in perfect unison, knowing the facts but lacking the feelings. Still, in the middle of the night, four boys escape the doldrums of the school sanctions. They lose themselves in a contraband copy of Shakespeare's work, taking on the roles of the fair people of Verona.
The play is a collision of Old World romance with modern-day hormones. Each boy starts with juvenile behavior toward the bawdy language. Though they mock the overall sentiment of the love story, as the play progresses, the boys begin to feel the poetry of the piece.
Each actor takes on a hearty task, with multiple roles from "Romeo and Juliet" for three of the boys. This also happens to be where the problem occurs. While all of the actors prove capable of a good performance, it does not translate to all of their parts. There seems to be one character they each excel at and others that were given considerably less care or development. Certain characters seem to get lost in the language and Mercutio is particularly a victim of such stagnation. However, the same actor does well in his portrayal of Friar Lawrence.
There also is a certain awkwardness in the use of a solely male cast. This isn't a moralistic argument. It is difficult at times to decipher who are playing these roles. At times, the actors take on a typical rendition of these characters. However, at other points they revert to being young boys confused and distanced from the material they are portraying. The characters are occassionally so engulfed in the language of Shakespeare at one moment that any divergence from the role can be a put off.
However, the play still manages to be engaging and engrossing. The actors have good timing and chemistry, despite the language that can prove stilting at certain junctures. Benvolio is especially captivating in his fluid interactions with the other characters.
The set proved to be exceedingly well-used and may well be the best part of this modernization. The design is minimalistic but effective. Particularly notable is the surprisingly diverse use of a large red sheet for nearly every prop.
The play is enjoyable, despite a lack in character realization and demarcation at times. If nothing else, the play is successful at reducing the audience to a group of 12-year-old boys for portions of the evening.
"Shakespeare's R & J" will be playing through Nov. 5 at the Grandel Theatre at 3610 Grandel Square, just down the street from the Fox Theatre. Tickets can be reserved through the Repertory Theatre at $8 for student rush tickets.
"Shakespeare's R & J," part of the Repertory Theatre's Off-Ramp series, is a revamping of the classic tale of two star-crossed lovers divided by an ongoing feud. The play takes place at an all-boys Catholic school. By day, the pupils recite lessons in perfect unison, knowing the facts but lacking the feelings. Still, in the middle of the night, four boys escape the doldrums of the school sanctions. They lose themselves in a contraband copy of Shakespeare's work, taking on the roles of the fair people of Verona.
The play is a collision of Old World romance with modern-day hormones. Each boy starts with juvenile behavior toward the bawdy language. Though they mock the overall sentiment of the love story, as the play progresses, the boys begin to feel the poetry of the piece.
Each actor takes on a hearty task, with multiple roles from "Romeo and Juliet" for three of the boys. This also happens to be where the problem occurs. While all of the actors prove capable of a good performance, it does not translate to all of their parts. There seems to be one character they each excel at and others that were given considerably less care or development. Certain characters seem to get lost in the language and Mercutio is particularly a victim of such stagnation. However, the same actor does well in his portrayal of Friar Lawrence.
There also is a certain awkwardness in the use of a solely male cast. This isn't a moralistic argument. It is difficult at times to decipher who are playing these roles. At times, the actors take on a typical rendition of these characters. However, at other points they revert to being young boys confused and distanced from the material they are portraying. The characters are occassionally so engulfed in the language of Shakespeare at one moment that any divergence from the role can be a put off.
However, the play still manages to be engaging and engrossing. The actors have good timing and chemistry, despite the language that can prove stilting at certain junctures. Benvolio is especially captivating in his fluid interactions with the other characters.
The set proved to be exceedingly well-used and may well be the best part of this modernization. The design is minimalistic but effective. Particularly notable is the surprisingly diverse use of a large red sheet for nearly every prop.
The play is enjoyable, despite a lack in character realization and demarcation at times. If nothing else, the play is successful at reducing the audience to a group of 12-year-old boys for portions of the evening.
"Shakespeare's R & J" will be playing through Nov. 5 at the Grandel Theatre at 3610 Grandel Square, just down the street from the Fox Theatre. Tickets can be reserved through the Repertory Theatre at $8 for student rush tickets.
Be the first to comment on this story