There’s something to be said for familiar stories: When you go to a play knowing what’s going to happen, you’re able to focus less on the plot and more on the beauty of what’s being composed on the stage.
At least, that’s what I found to be the case at the American Repertory Theater’s “Romeo and Juliet.” (In general, the A.R.T. seems to be embracing the “American high school classic” genre, with “Gatsby” over the summer and “The Odyssey” set to open in February.) Directed by Diane Paulus and on at the Loeb Drama Center through Oct. 6, this production doesn’t make major edits to the classic story but finds a new way to tell it.
That new way is a strong injection of choreographed movement by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. His work is excellent, adding a unique physicality to the timeless tale. What the actors onstage are doing is not dance, per se, but if dance is feeling and conveying emotions through movement, “Romeo and Juliet” achieves roughly the same goal.
It’s most prominent during the play’s biggest moments: the first confrontation between the Montagues and the Capulets, the party scene and Romeo and Juliet’s wedding. Such dynamic movement is possible largely because of a mostly empty stage, where the only set is a tall, thick wooden wall. The wall itself is dynamic, with actors turning it and moving it throughout the play to create new settings, though not without some struggle. In a smart move by scenic designer Amy Rubin, the hulking, hard-to-move object seems to represent the Capulet and Montague feud – especially after a large hole opens in the center of the structure to serve as Juliet’s balcony, perhaps a metaphor for the opening she and Romeo make in their families’ rivalry.
Speaking of them, Rudy Pankow and Emilia Suárez shine in their roles as Romeo and Juliet, totally consumed by their love. Suárez’s balcony monologue was probably the best part of the play, her lines flowing as if she’s thinking them up as she goes. Pankow and Suárez are convincing in their love, with believable chemistry from both sides, a testament to Lauren Kiele DeLeon’s work as intimacy coordinator. They hold their own in scenes with others, but soar when they’re together.
The supporting cast is similarly solid, with an especially earnest Brandon Dial as Benvolio. Terrence Mann is a steady Friar Laurence and Sharon Catherine Brown is a standout nurse; Alex Ross is an imposing Tybalt in well-done fight scenes by Thomas Schall. Clay Singer is born to play Mercutio in his funnier moments, acing the dirty jokes and goofy accents, but misses the mark by reducing his character to that over-the-top silliness alone.
In a play in which the major motif has to do with darkness and light, Jen Schriever’s lighting stands out. Large orbs glow around the stage during the party scene, one becoming the moon (and later the sun) during Romeo and Juliet’s scene on the balcony, which ends with a projection of light on the wooden structure that really did feel like the dappled sunlight of early morning. Daniel Lundberg’s sound design included elements in line with the narrative, such as a thumping heartbeat when Romeo and Juliet first meet, and was made even better by original music composed by Alexandre Dai Castaing.
Emilio Sosa’s costume design included some cool pieces, such as Lord Capulet’s double-breasted navy suit and Juliet’s pink dress, but overall felt a bit disjointed. The older characters were dressed in formal clothes, while the younger ones sported a variety of looks: a dress for Juliet, a ripped jean-leather jacket combo for Benvolio, a colorful cardigan with capris and high-tops for Mercutio. Perhaps this was meant to signify a difference between the generations (especially given the Montagues and the Capulets don’t get the typical visual delineation, an intentional choice by Paulus), but if it was, it didn’t quite land.
Paulus, in the show’s program, suggests we look at “Romeo and Juliet” as a story about love, rather than about hate. The hate between the families is still apparent. There are violent deaths – Mercutio’s being especially bloody – and the anguish of the grieving family members is palpable; one of the most striking parts of Nicole Villamil’s performance as Lady Capulet was when she laid down next to Tybalt’s dead body, overcome with emotion.
I’m not sure Paulus accomplished her mission (or that anyone who didn’t read the program would be aware of it), but “Romeo and Juliet” was more than fine without it. Small plot changes and Cherkaoui’s choreography, plus a great cast and compelling technical aspects, were enough to make this a well-done interpretation of one of the Bard’s best.
A stronger
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