BWW Reviews: ROMEO AND JULIET: LOVE KNOWS NO AGE at Unexpected Stage Company

When I see that a theater's season includes ROMEO AND JULIET, I often get nervous. As it is one of William Shakespeare's most recognizable plays, I feel like you need a very solid reason to perform it.

For the Unexpected Stage Company's production of ROMEO AND JULIET: LOVE KNOWS NO AGE, director Christopher Goodrich comments in his notes that he is aware of the experimentation and risk of the piece.

In this version of R&J, the well-known text has been brought into the modern age and takes place in the Verona Village Senior Living Home. Romeo (Elliott Bales) and Juliet (Claire Schoonover) have evolved from angsty teenagers to angsty pensioners. The once parental figures of the Capulet (Josh Adams), Lady Capulet (Dawn Thomas Reidy), Montague (Tiffany Garfinkle), and Lady Montague (Rachel Stroud-Goodrich) are now the protagonists' respective adult children.

I appreciate Goodrich's inspiration. The elderly are often dismissed and ignored. People act as if they are not able to accomplish anything beyond a certain age. Goodrich wishes to contradict this and prove people can fall in or out of love at any age. Beyond this spark unfortunately, the concept does not apply well to the rest of the show.
Such a big adjustment of switching the ages of the characters needs more than a few additional changes to the text. The family feud was muddied in this context. It was unclear why this conflict existed in the present day. Moreover, aspects of the story like the knife fight that takes place between Romeo, Tybalt, and Mercutio do not make sense. I could make the argument that they are just trying to relive their youth. But in reality, a knife fight in the lobby of a senior living home is not going to happen. Or the idea that Capulet is trying to arrange the marriage of his 70 year old mother is simply not believable. Much of the time I felt, why is this happening?

With that said, this concept certainly gave the characters of Romeo and Juliet a new life. They were far more interesting than their teenage counterparts. Bales and Schoonover took the necessary risks in expressing that no matter the age, seniors can do and be whoever they want.

Also, the set, designed by Kristen Jepperson, had the perfect lame but soft feel. It added to the comedic undertones of the play and reminded you that the whole life of a senior living in a retirement community takes places there.

Let me underscore as well that the production was entertaining. The actors clearly had a solid understanding of the text. Although all of the characters grasped the humor of the text, Justus Hammond (who played Mercutio) and Kecia A. Campbell (who played the Nurse) excelled in the physical humor that a Shakespearean text requires.
Another risk of Shakespeare is with misunderstanding the cast can lag at points, but this ensemble was high energy and kept the show moving.

Although ROMEO AND JULIET: LOVE KNOWS NO AGE was a well-founded risk, Goodrich did not take the changes far enough to accomplish his goals. Perhaps, what he needed to do instead of taking such a strict interpretation of the text, make this production more of a loose inspiration of ROMEO AND JULIET.

ROMEO AND JULIET: LOVE KNOWS NO AGE runs through August 9 at the Randolph Road Theater, 4010 Randolph Road, Wheaton, MD. For information regarding tickets call 800-838-3006 or go online.

The run time is two and a half hours plus a 15 minute intermission.

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