Venue: The Neilson Nutshell (Sydney NSW), Jun 23 – Aug 27, 2023
Playwright: William Shakespeare
Director: Peter Evans
Cast: Lucy Bell, Blazey Best, James Evans, Alex King, Robert Menzies, Kyle Morrison, Rose Riley, Monica Sayers, Leinad Walker, Jacob Warner
Images by Brett Boardman
Theatre review
In more innocent times, the act of suicide was the ultimate sacrifice in any romance. Today, many will find the gesture somewhat empty, when we know survival to be much harder an option. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet however depicts more than that experience of puppy love, not least of all the senseless but intrinsically human tendency, of creating oppositions, and of always choosing discord over harmony. We watch the Capulets and the Montagues revel in being enemies, determined to fight to the bloody end. Peace is our natural yearning, yet it seems we can only ever run away from it.
Peter Evans’ direction commences with a great sense of dynamism; the scene is set in a captivatingly blithe way, and the lovers’ first meetings are handled with charm and elegance. The inevitable bleakness begins noticeably from the third act, and although appropriately sombre, the show turns unfortunately and markedly distant. The moment of great tragedy appears anti-climactic, leaving us surprised by its coldness.
Actors Jacob Warner and Rose Riley are a strong coupling, as Romeo and Juliet respectively, both beaming with dedication and admirable for bringing to the stage an adventurous attitude, that earns our investment into the story. Their chemistry may not be consistently searing, but they certainly make the union believable. Also remarkable is Blazey Best in the role of Mercutio, sensational with the flamboyant masculinity she performs, demonstrating great rigour and faultless instincts, along with extraordinary agility, to deliver the most engaging scenes of the production.
The set features two large platforms, designed by Anna Tregloan who introduces an appealing modern sensibility, with black gleaming surfaces and an abundance of black costumes. Lights by Benjamin Cisterne are conservatively but effectively rendered, always to offer enhancement and never to detract from the drama. Music by Max Lyandvert, while insufficiently sentimental at crucial points, is wonderfully haunting and meticulously guides us through every emotional peak and trough.
A 13 year-old girl dies by her own hands, because her family forbids her to act on her heart’s desire. This can seem outlandish, yet we know that suppressing a person’s nature, always yields traumatic results. The young need to be guided, but they also need to be listened to. Much as we feel the urge to impose upon them all of our values, it is forever prudent to open our minds to what newer generations can teach.
Suzy Goes See 