The
first summer show of Uncommon Theatre's young adult company is
William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet". The children of two
powerful families, the Montagues and the Capulets, are so deeply
enchanted with each other that they forget they live in an
environment where their scrappy cousins would rather wrestle and
brawl than recognize anything akin to love. "Romeo and Juliet"
has been called a classic, and rightly so, for it is the most
human of emotions to fall in love and on the other end of the
spectrum, perhaps the most human of emotions to wish destruction
and revenge on one's enemies. Keith Pinault, a senior at Hofstra
University sets the show in current day Belfast, a city whose
old wounds still keep it divided. He directs this show
wonderfully with his 22 young performers. Keith wants to make
the show more accessible to contemporary audiences and seeks to
bring out the beauty and youth of the play.
Keith has his
performers capture the essence of the play with current day
themes of gang violence, reckless youth who are willing to
commit suicide when things go wrong and torrid romantic love. He
taught all his performers how to deliver their lines with a
topnotch Irish brogue. I reviewed Keith as an actor when he
played John Hinckley in "Assassins" in 2006. The first part
starts off with a fight between the two families and includes
some comic moments including the comic Groucho Marx mask of
Mercutio at the party and his comic fight at first that turns
deadly later on. The first half has the needed exposition for
first time audiences but it is the end of Act 1 with the deaths
of Mercutio and Tybalt and Act 2 that will impress even seasoned
Shakespearean theatre goers. Choreography is by Christina Kelly
with original music by Ryan Cotter and fight choreography by
Travis Youssef. The multitude of gorgeous costumes are by Laura
Duell.
Romeo and Juliet are splendidly played by Luke Doyle and
Meg Lowey. I reviewed them at Uncommon last year in "Les
Miserables" where they played Marius and Cosette. They make the
necessary transition from carefree youthful lovers into dramatic
adults beautifully. Luke has dark hair and Meg is a beautiful
blonde. His scenes with her are sweet and tender while his
scenes with Tybalt and Paris are frightening with their
intensity. Luke's scenes with the Friar crackle with electricity
when he is in despair about what to do after having killed
Tybalt. Meg has comic moments with the nurse in the first act
but she really shines in the second act when the tragic events
envelop Juliet when she learns of her cousin Tybalt's death,
Romeo's banishment and when she awakens to find her lover dead,
it rips your heart out. Her argument scenes with her parents,
the friar and the nurse are breathtaking, too. Their
interactions with the other cast members are topnotch and they
shine in these huge roles. Luke is headed to New York
University while Meg is attending Northwestern. They both have a
bright future in theater.
Two other terrific
performers in this show are Shannon Ballou who plays the
nurse and Francis Sheehan who plays Friar Lawrence. Their command
of Shakespearean dialogue and delivery of their many lines is
astounding. Shannon plays the talkative nurse who helps Juliet
in her relationship with Romeo. Francis narrates some of the first
act as the Friar. Some other powerful performers include Nick
Chris as Mercutio who is Romeo's friend and confidant as well
as the Prince's cousin, John Ball as the hot headed Tybalt who
challenges Romeo to a dual after he crashes the Capulet's party,
Graham Duff and Madeline Philips as Lord and Lady Capulet
who are electrifying in their argument scene with Juliet, I last
reviewed Graham in "Beauty and the Beast" and last reviewed
Madeline in "A Pack of Lies", Kelly Whalen as Benvolio, Romeo's
cousin, Kwaku Acheampong as the ill fated Paris and Nick Chris
also plays the Prince of Verona. I also reviewed Nick as Leon
Czolgosz and he is now a senior at Emerson College, shows off
his commanding stage presence in both these roles and is the
fight captain for the show.
So for a trip back to the past, set
in Ireland, be sure to catch this version of "Romeo and Juliet"
to see some talented young performers at work.
ROMEO
AND JULIET (24 to 27 June, 2010)
Uncommon Theatre Company, Orpheum Theatre, 1 School Street,
Foxboro, MA
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