Theater Review by JK Clarke . . .
Sam Gold’s apparent vendetta against William Shakespeare continues. Over the past ten or so years, the Tony Award-winning and often quite effective (last year’s Enemy of the People) director has systematically kneecapped some of the Bard’s greatest works, from a gimmicky, modern-dress King Lear (2019) starring the legendary Glenda Jackson, to a disemboweled Macbeth (2022) that made a mockery of Daniel Craig’s acting chops. While his early efforts with Othello (2016, at the New York Theatre Workshop) and Hamlet (2017, at The Public Theater) stirred interest because of his trademark minimalist, modern approaches (and because he managed to land marquee stars like Oscar Isaac, David Oyelowo and Craig for these Off-Broadway productions), he has proven to be something of a one-trick pony when it comes to Shakespeare, lending none these magnificent plays the pomp or grandeur they deserve.
Gold’s latest victim, now playing at Circle in the Square, is Romeo and Juliet (which has cutely been retitled “Romeo + Juliet,” like the way teen lovers might carve it on a park bench . . . get it?), a play that needs no crutch to enhance or delight an audience; and one that is often used to introduce young theatergoers to the beauty of Shakespeare’s language and storytelling. But, rather than fill the cast with accomplished and talented Shakespearean thespians, he has resorted to casting teen idols, apparently aiming to draw fans via social media. It is no knock on great Broadway actors to suggest that not everyone can deliver Shakespeare’s lines as they are meant to be—it’s an incredibly difficult undertaking that requires years of very serious training that differs from other types of acting. It’s no surprise, then, that this production’s best performance is turned out by the 20-year-old Kit Connor (as Romeo), who hails from England, where this sort of training is requisite. Despite this being Connor’s first official role in a Shakespeare play, his delivery is passionate and believable and he looks every bit the part of the handsome, lovestruck young man. Most importantly, it’s clear he fully understands the lines he’s delivering. That simply can’t be said for the entire cast. Had the other performances been at his level, the production might have overcome its directorial shortcomings.
Gold, unfortunately, seemed to have been influenced by the 1996 cinematic version (also called “Romeo + Juliet”), starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes, which was more action film than Shakespeare play and contemporized the doomed rivalries between the Capulet and Montague families, framing them more as street gangs (which had been done before—see: West Side Story). Aside from that conceit being old and tired, it also waters down some of the play’s principal messages about family and loyalty. Fealty to one’s blood relations is universal and relatable, but gang affiliation rarely comes off as anything more than part of a childish and absurd criminal enterprise.
Despite some clever set work by scenic design group “dots” (like a bed that lowers from the ceiling, and clever use of both the catwalks and the theater’s steep aisles), the use of giant and far too numerous teddy bears (some inexplicably stuffed in a shopping cart) and a rave/techno culture vibe merely infantilizes and deflates the story. The same goes for Enver Chakartash’s costumes, straight out of MDMA-flecked nightclub couture, right down to Romeo dressed as a human disco ball. This could be a passable choice, in some instances, but it backfires when The Nurse (Tommy Dorfman, who also plays Tybalt, and is convincing in neither role) is strutting around in highly sexualized attire, including an extremely revealing bustier/job bra—this is simply not who The Nurse is in any way, shape or form and it detracts mightily from the story. Clearly, all this is an attempt to connect to Gen-Z (and younger) culture, presuming, perhaps, that today’s youth are incapable of digesting difficult and complex subject matter without it being veneered with a candy coating.
But back to the casting. Gold has (for whatever reason) stripped the ensemble down to a mere ten performers even though the play has approximately 37 characters. To double smaller roles that have no more than one or two lines makes sense; but here the very vital roles of Mercutio, Friar Lawrence, Prince Escalus, and Chorus have all been laid on the shoulders of one person: Tony nominee Gabby Beans (The Skin of Our Teeth), usually an exceptional actor, but out of her depth with Shakespeare. It also must be noted that her various characters are not easily differentiated by her nearly indistinguishable costumes. Similar examples abound, including Lady Capulet being played by Sola Fadiran who is also Lord Capulet. Despite a fine performance, unless you know the play very well this is incredibly confusing; and, considering the limited number of roles for women in theater, here’s another snatched away.
Probably the most disappointing shortcomings Romeo + Juliet hits us with are in the crucial moments of dramatic punctuation. The first act ends with (no spoilers!) a very tense scene that stops the audience in its tracks. It would have been more than enough to cut to black here and go to intermission. Instead, Juliet (a capable Rachel Zegler who looks closer to the character’s 13 years than her own 23, yet has terrific chemistry with Connor) grabs a microphone and breaks into a wholly unnecessary song (by Jack Antonoff) which destroys the dramatic tension. (When will directors learn that while it is acceptable to make cuts to a Shakespeare play, they are simply not qualified to add their own material. It’s the height of chutzpah to even attempt to try to improve on the Bard’s own work.) To make matters worse, the play’s final, gut-wrenching scene (as written) is edited down to a fraction of the original, eliding some of the story’s more important messages about grief, regret, and forgiveness. Instead, it’s just a bloody scenario finished off by more unnecessary music.
Romeo and Juliet is an important and entertaining play that rightfully shows up on Broadway every ten years or so. But future directors must take notice that nothing clever or fancy is required to make the play great (other than hiring qualified performers). It can, in fact, easily be performed on an empty, prop-free stage and be more engaging than this misguided production. Enough with the gimmicks, already.
Romeo + Juliet. Open Run at Circle in the Square Theatre (235 West 50th Street, between Broadway and Eighth Avenue). Two hours, twenty minutes, including one intermission. www.romeoandjulietnyc.com
Photos: Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
