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Romeo and Juliet

Roundhouse Theatre, London, 30 November 2010 - 1 January 2011

Mariah Gale and Sam Troughton

cast:
David Carr, Jonjo O’Neill, James Howard, David Rubin, Simone Saunders, Sam Troughton, Oliver Ryan, Gruffudd Glyn, Peter Peverley, Richard Katz, Christine Entwistle, Mariah Gale, Joseph Arkley, Noma Dumezweni, Dyfan Dwyfor, Patrick Romer, James Traherne, Dharmesh Patel, Forbes Masson, Debbie Korley, Kirsty Woodward

directed by
Rupert Goold

We all know that the lovers will die, but what does that matter? The measure of any performance of Romeo and Juliet, whether told in play, opera or ballet form, is the extent to which the portrayal of their demise appeals to our emotions.

And by such a measure, the London premiere of Rupert Goold’s production, one of six plays that the Royal Shakespeare Company is bringing to the Roundhouse this winter, is something of a success.

It is not only the strength of the rapport between Sam Troughton’s Romeo and Mariah Gale’s Juliet that makes it, but the way in which their relationship is contextualised within their families’ ever growing hostilities.

The powerful opening fight shows that there is nothing chivalric or noble about this feud. It’s a messy affair in which the women also tear at each other, one man’s arm goes up in flames and another is nearly burnt alive. All of the characters wear clothes befitting the Verona of their day except for Romeo and Juliet who don modern, and in some cases, scruffy attire. They may look out of place in their setting, but that is rather the point. Everyone else adopts the roles that their families expect of them. It is only this pair who act unpredictably, rising above their circumstances to embrace love rather than hate.

This Romeo and Juliet could, in fact, be modern day philosophy students, and it is not only the words that they use to conceptualise their love (which would be the same in any production) that suggest this. The balcony scene shows that these are people used to being equal in a relationship (there are very few nods to male domination), and Juliet uses certain lines – such as ‘O, swear not by the moon’ and ‘Parting is such sweet sorrow’ – to assert her own dry wit.

The leads are surrounded by a strong supporting cast who also contribute to the multi-faceted nature of the production. Jonjo O’Neill’s Mercutio is an enigma, coming across as a happy-go-lucky joker, but also visibly tensing at any suggestion of disloyalty to the Montagues. As he fights Tybalt (Joseph Arkley) the range of weapons they use suggests that this is a scuffle that neither ever intended to go so far. Even as Mercutio is stabbed his utterance of ‘Ay, ay, a scratch’ shows his utter disbelief that things have actually reached this point, and his dying words mix ironic humour, as if he is making light of the situation, with total gravitas, as he utters ‘A plaque a both your houses’. Similarly, Noma Dumezweni’s Nurse is so genuinely delighted at the news that Juliet is to wed Romeo that she refuses on principle to accept money to deliver the message – before deciding to take it anyway.

A range of other effects ensure that there is always something to hold our attention. A few modern props are introduced such as fire extinguishers and bicycles, and after both sets of deaths all manner of characters look on from around the auditorium. The accompanying music is very effective because it is used sparingly, while from among the musicians the voices of Harry Bagnall and Hannah Rhodes stand out.

Unfortunately, the play’s second half does not present as many opportunities for such interesting touches and innovations to come to the fore. The ending, however, which is made to look like a crime scene, is highly effective, and the costumes that the characters wear suggest that they have all learnt a valuable lesson, albeit one at an extortionately high price.

The RSC in London Season continues until 5 February 2011.

- Sam Smith