Matthew Bourne’s Romeo and Juliet, Marlowe Theatre Canterbury
“For never was a story of more woe, than this of Juliet and her Romeo.” Sir Matthew Bourne’s new production of the classic tragic love story, set to Prokofiev’s famous score, certainly seems to take this line to heart.
To begin with, forget any romantic ideas of Renaissance Italy: this production is set somewhere in the ‘near future’ at something called the Verona Institute. Whether this is an asylum for the insane, a borstal, or a normal school in some coming Fascist era is never fully explained. (In a post-show Q&A Bourne says he doesn’t know what it is himself.) One thing is clear: this is a pretty grim place to be. The white-clad pupils/inmates live regimented lives, beginning each day with a hefty dose of medication. The character of Tybalt has become an abusive guard who singles Juliet out as his particular plaything.
Into this comes Romeo dumped by his rich and powerful parents for reasons which are never made clear. He’s clearly a troubled young man, but even in this oppressive setting, love – and teenage hormones – will still win through, as he and Juliet fall for each other at a dance organised by the be-cardiganed and do-gooding Reverend Bernadette Laurence.
The inevitable tragic denouement doesn’t quite play out in the same way as it does in the original story, and while I might quibble with some of the decisions, it puts the blame for the lovers’ deaths firmly on the society which has confined them, making for a powerful message.
The title roles are passionately performed by Paris Fitzpatrick and Cordelia Braithwaite, backed by a tremendously committed and energetic supporting cast. Dan Wright is a powerful presence as Tybalt, showing that that character is both a victim and a perpetrator of the system’s brutality.
With a running time of less than two hours (including an interval) this is short, sharp shock of a production, but it’s one whose emotional punch means it stays with you long after it finishes.
Romeo and Juliet is currently touring the UK. For more information, see here: https://new-adventures.net/
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