Theatre Royal Glasgow – until 23 March 2019
Reviewed by Linda McLaughlan
5*****
We are all aware of the classic Romeo and Juliet, the story of two lovelorn teenagers from opposing families of Verona who were Sworn enemies. The House of Montague and The House of Capulet use violence to deal with problems with each other and in their eyes earn respect from others.
Act 1 begins with the cast which is made of teenagers from around the country playing roles within The Royal Shakespeare Company and showcasing their talents in performing arts. The stage is set in very bleak colours and very minimalist which helps the audience concentrate on the performance of each actor. One of the key characters who caught my attention was Mercutio (Played by Charlotte Josephine). This role which is generally portrayed by a male is professionally portrayed, showcasing her ability to be both male and female showing her feminine side as well as a masculine almost chauvinistic side.
Romeo (played by Bally Gill) and Juliet (played by Karen Fishwick) were very professional in their performances of two teenagers who fall in love, secretly marry and who are torn apart by an act of violence, an element which is throughout the whole performance. Then the two lovers are torn apart eternally as Romeo believes his love is dead and so takes poison to end his own life. The performance follows the tragedy of Juliet then taking her own life. This resonates with life as we know it today with the tragic loss of loved ones through the acts of knife violence.
I would highly recommend that everyone takes the time to go and see this performance as Erica Whyman has excelled herself in producing an amazing theatre production