The RSC's production of Romeo & Juliet has hit the road in this brand new revival of Shakespeare's tragic tale.
The classic story that everyone knows and loves has been reworked and redesigned completely to fit today's society by tackling gender roles, personality and knife crime. Director Erica Whyman has made the piece into a really moving, touching and heartfelt piece of theatre and it feels like the tragic tale has been given a new lease of life which really engages the audience. The play is very modern, unlike the majority of Shakespeare's plays, which I liked as personally I find it more appealing because it relates to modern day society. This contempary feel has been put in every aspect of the show such as movement, sound and the set which at first may appear empty and bland, but does become more sophisticated as it has been cleverly designed by Tom Piper.
The cast is well put together as they mirror every aspect of modern day life. Karen Fishwick's performance as Juliet is poignant and tender as she embodies the girl who falls deeply in love. Fishwick conveyed every emotion her character was experiencing perfectly and we, as an audience, felt that too. Bally Gill's portrayal of Romeo was determined, compassionate and emotive which challenges modern day stereotypes of men and was something really different and added a whole new perspective on the character.
Ishia Bennison was also another memorable performance as the Nurse who's relationship with Juliet was engaging and affectionate. Bennison was perfect as her character and was a real stand out performance for me. Another notable portrayal was Charlotte Josephine as Mercutio, as there were highly entertaining in parts of the story as well as adding a bit of variety to the story, which was interesting. The character of Mercutio is complex as they switch moods and attitudes often in the play and Josephine pulled this off really well.
For such an old and well known story to be updated and performed in the twenty first century as well as this one is remarkable, particularly the direction of the piece is as it reflects all the faults and vices in our society we live in today. Whyman and the RSC have created a raw and thought provoking piece of theatre which will certainly have a long-lasting impression on anyone who sees it.
The RSC's production of Romeo and Juliet is currently visiting various venues on its UK tour until March 2019. More information about the show can be found here.
