Review: ROMEO AND JULIET, Shakespeare's Globe

From Cowboy Carter to Chappell Roan’s 'The Giver', country cowboy culture has been having a moment this year. And this summer, the Globe are adding something new to the Wild West canon with their riotous new production of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedy.

In this version of the familiar story, we are whisked away to the 1800s American West. The sparring young men are now gun-touting cowboys, the ball is a barn dance, and the soundtrack is all banjos and whistles. It’s a bold transposition of the star-crossed Verona lovers, but one that works surprisingly well. 

Beyond changing the time and place of the play, director Sean Holmes also turns the tone of this tragedy on its head. For the first act, Romeo and Juliet becomes a comedy, thanks to clever characterisation, smart comic timing, and some brilliant line deliveries. This Juliet is reminiscent of Oklahoma’s Ado Annie, brash and naive, while Romeo has a modern softboy-style confidence. The brassy Nurse can’t stop talking, and Paris gallops about like a dandy. It really shouldn’t work… but somehow it does.

This all peaks with what would normally be a ball scene, now transposed to a barn dance. What begins as a stiff 1800s affair is brought to life as the Montague cowboys crash the event, transforming it into a riotous party with choreography (by Tasmin Hurtado Clarke) that fuses classic line dancing with contemporary street moves. With the audience clapping along, it's got to be some of the most fun you could have at the theatre this summer. 

This kind of bold direction would definitely falter without a committed cast – fortunately this ensemble really give it their all. Recent grad Lola Shalam is a standout as Juliet, genuinely hilarious while still portraying her character’s youthfulness and doomed naivety. Jamie-Rose Monk as the Nurse is similarly a comedic highlight, bouncing off those around her with wit and glee. Rawaed Asde’s Romeo is exactly the right level of cocky, while Dharmesh Patel’s camp Peter steals every scene he’s in. 

The real star of this production, however, is Michael Elcock as Mercutio. Oozing charisma,  he’s impossible not to watch every time he appears. Elcock squeezes every ounce of humour from the - originally tragic - script, as well as leading dance sequences and shifting towards menace when needed. It’s really something to behold.

A major factor making this production so strong is that it balances its new tone with a clear understanding of the original play and the historical setting of the Globe. Class dynamics play out interestingly through the portrayal of the Capulets as a wealthier and more respected family in comparison to the Montague’s rag-tag cowboy gang. Juliet’s age of just thirteen is made a key part of the plot, while set pieces being wheeled in and out of the ‘groundling’ floor space give the production an extra layer of interactivity and boost of energy. 

In Act Two, however, it becomes trickier to reconcile the established comedic tone with the tragedy of the plot. The energy of the first half peters out somewhat, and we don’t get the full emotional gut punch. The characterisation of the Friar doesn’t quite land, and without Mercutio, the highest highs of the comedy are missing.

That’s not to say, however, that Holmes doesn’t make some intriguing choices: he introduces the idea of ghosts into the piece, which both adds to the Western feel of the piece and expands the characters. It doesn’t fully work in the context of this production, but does make an impact with a powerful movement sequence towards the end of the play. 

If you’re after a to-the-letter traditional Shakespearean tragedy, this may not be the production for you - but it might offer something both more entertaining and more interesting. And in the gorgeous historical setting of the Globe, with a chilled wine in hand and the summer sky fading overhead, it’s hard to imagine a better London evening out. 

Romeo and Juliet runs at Shakespeare's Globe until 2 August

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