Romeo and Juliet
The Wales Theatre Company did thisat the Lyceum in Sheffield. The Wales bit means that some of the minor parts had Welsh accents – it wasn’t like Northern Broadsides where everybody has to talk Yorkshire. This was Romeo and Juliet out of West Side Story, rather than the other way round. The capulets were a leather gang, the Montagues not. The fight scenes were good- more like dances – and Mercutio absolutely baffled Tybalt by barely taking the conflict seriously. Juliet is always a difficult part – usually a bit screechy – and this was a little. Overall I enjoyed the edgy gang-culture feel – mummy Capulet was a convincing moll – and the lads had the aimlessness of youth. Friar Laurence more powerful than usual – a stronger figure. The ending was bizarre – the whole explanation bit after the deaths in the tomb was omitted – which doesn’t really apportion any responsibility. A very strange decision.