RSC’s Romeo & Juliet at the Theatre Royal Nottingham Review

Reviewed by Nigel Chester

Just a quick hop from the Royal Centre tram stop, the Theatre Royal in Nottingham plays host to the RSC 2019 tour of Romeo and Juliet. The theatre’s beautifully ornate Victorian decor provides a perfect foil for the metallically minimalist set. A large hollow cube rotates on the stage to become a street, a party venue, a marriage bed, a tomb; Verona has never looked so stark, but pared back to such a degree allowed the characters to become fully developed.

A little over 10 years ago I returned to learning in order to obtain a GCSE in English and on this course, we studied Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. So, when I was asked to review this production brought to us by the world-renowned Royal Shakespeare Company I was delighted to accept. The company is self-sufficient and everything we experience on the stage is made or developed in house. This is not elitists and the aim of the company is to reach the widest possible audience and involve people to give them opportunities that normally they would not have. I understand from local media that students from The Bluecoat Beechdale Academy were used as extras and behind the scenes. They however melded into company seamlessly.

I thought I knew the play, I didn’t think it would be an eye-opening experience, I didn’t expect to draw different conclusions as to actions and outcomes and consequences. Under the skilful direction of Erica Whyman, we find ourselves in a world parallel to ours, the words Shakespeare’s, the direction Whyman’s, the result electrifying.

The story is well known two feuding families the Montague’s and the Capulets whose teenaged children meet at a masked ball and fall in love. The very next day aided by Juliet’s nurse they marry in secret. Another brawl occurs and two more young men lose their lives to knife crime. Romeo is banished. Juliet is then faced with the prospect of a bigamous marriage takes a drug that will place her in a death like coma. Hopefully to be awoken by her beloved husband. I won’t give away the end but safe to say the script writers of EastEnders would be proud.

So, the cast, all amazing, each bringing their own character to life. This Is true hi definition, 4K. It’s as in focus and crisp as you can possibly get. For the first time I truly understood why Juliet (Karen Fishwick) made the choices she did and that her father Capulet (Michael Hodgson) truly owned her, and her mother (Miriam Haque) was as powerless as any domestic abuse victim is today. This play remains relevant today and the ordinary clothing and everyday items reminded us of that in a subtle manner. The comfortable chair that Juliet snuggled on appeared to be straight out of the Habitat showroom, her quilt Dunelm. What I didn’t expect was to laugh quite as much as we did. It was truly funny in parts, laughter out loud funny. When in Friar Laurence’s cell, Juliet requests the love lore Paris to ‘shut the door’ a simple request which delivered with such venom simply said **** off.

I do think it unfair with such a consummate cast to single out people for praise all are worthy of comment but it being an unfair world I do wish to mention Charlotte Josephine she took Mercutio she tore him apart and re assembled him to be the linchpin of the play. Her final words reverberated around the theatre “A curse on both your houses” this wasn’t rhetoric this was damnation. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up.

Fleet-footed and feisty; compelling and enthralling in equal measure.

A well-deserved 5 stars.

Rating: 5/5

Tickets cost from £10 to £34.50 (booking fees may apply).

RSC’s Romeo & Juliet is at the Theatre Royal in Nottingham from 19-23 February 2019, for more information or to book tickets visit www.trch.co.uk or call the box office on 0115 989 5555.

Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall, Theatre Square, Nottingham, NG1 5ND