As the rain fell over Central Park in Malvern, the audience of Melbourne’s Shakespeare Company’s production of Romeo and Juliet were gifted with an entertaining show (along with mild-hypothermia) in a fun and whimsical retelling of Shakespeare’s most tragic love story.
Nestled near the conservatory, characters from the play issue identity documents (programmes) depending on where you’re seated. ID papers never appear in the performance itself, but any unorthodox programme is a good programme and interacting with characters before the play begins is a nice and amusing distraction from the dark heavy clouds overhead.
The Prince in Verona is at his wit’s end. A bitter feud between the Montague and Capulet families continues to wreak havoc on the streets. Yet, despite all the strife, Romeo (a Montague) and Juliet (a Capulet) meet and fall in love. Can they defy family and duty and find a way to be together forever? Well… (spoilers) technically, yes.
The set was minimal: a broken column pitched intriguingly on its side at the rear of the performance area next a small platform with a chaise longue that stood as Juliet’s room and balcony. Away from the platform sat a small pedestal sometimes used by Romeo during Act 2 Scene 2 when wooing Juliet.
This was fine enough, but as the play progressed it was apparent Juliet’s platform was set too far back. With the width being used by the action in front, Juliet could easily have been brought closer to the audience.
This also would have lessened the need for Romeo – facing slightly away from the audience in order to look in Juliet’s direction – to break away so frequently from her and their connection to deliver his lines out front.
A staple of Melbourne Shakespeare’s productions are the cast, accompanied by talented live musicians, singing pop songs during the play. It’s a fun motif, to be sure, but not one without a little risk as every time a song is played, the story stops.
It demands that the song choice and placement be well-considered, as its a fine line between enriching the emotions of a scene and just duplicating them. When Romeo discovers Juliet’s body, the text is already doing the work of conveying his heartbreak and devastation.
So why does he sing an arbitrary sad song? A better choice might have been for him to return to the song he sung her earlier under her balcony, only now in a minor key as the saddest of refrains. Requiring so many lines be layered with some lark or lampoon did occasionally obfuscate the meaning in certain moments rather than enhance them.
In Act 3 Scene 3, when the Nurse deals plainspoken and serious with a forlorn Romeo, why – after Friar Laurence shows a cool head, calming Romeo down and giving him hope – are her final lines to the Friar, “I could have stayed here all the night / To hear good counsel. O, what learning is!” delivered in a sudden flirtatious and horny manner? It may garner a giggle, but at what cost to clear and consistent characterisation?
Fortunately, any inconsistencies were ultimately outshone by so many good performances from the cast. Karlis Zaid was excellent in the role of Frier Laurence, a voice of reason and compassion among so much hostility. Speaking of voice, acting outside requires great vocal strength and stamina (yet without shouting) if an audience is to hear every word and be engaged.
Amanda McKay gave a wonderful demonstration of this with an often funny always forceful turn as Juliet’s Nurse. A lovely touch by director Emma Austin was the contrast between our star-crossed leads and our star-crossed enemies, Mercutio and Tybalt. John Vizcay-Wilson’s swagger as Mercutio and Jacqueline Whiting’s venom as Tybalt was a joy to watch.
Whether in grief, anger, or love, Romeo certainly wears his heart on his sleeve, and Oliver Tapp did good work navigating the emotional rollercoaster his character finds himself on. Marlena Thomson gave a brilliant performance as Juliet. Often delivering her dialogue far back from the audience, Marlena never failed to engage, making her ultimate end all the more poignant. An affecting end to a touching and fun production.
Romeo & Juliet
Central Park, Burke Road, Malvern
Performance: Sunday 16 march 2025 – 3.00pm
Season: 1 – 16 March 2025 (ended)
Information: www.melbourneshakespeare.com
Image: Oliver Tapp and Marlena Thomson – photo by Sare Clarke Photography
Review: June Collins