Review: Romeo & Juliet, Stratford East

Stratford East and Sadler’s Wells East team up to celebrate the former’s 140th anniversary and the latter’s first year in the area. And what better way to celebrate, than to bring together local, young artists and older members of the community in a unique production of Romeo & Juliet, adapted by Kwame Owusu. With a huge company of 38 performers (yes, I counted the names in the programme), this production is a celebration of the familiar East London scene where the young persons of today show us that they deserve more than what they are given.

Romeo & Juliet written by William Shakespeare, we could say, is the original romance trope of forbidden love. Owusu’s adaptation of this production brings a contemporary twist to the classic tale. Liam Bunster’s set design places us on the streets of East London outside an array of car garages that cleverly become the two separate spaces for the Capulets and the Montagues. Complimented by Nicola T Chang’s sound design featuring current pop hits, we get the feeling that a party is about to go down in the form of an underage rave. The 38 performers crash onto the stage with that Friday feeling of freedom, partying their troubles away. Bunster’s youthful costume design, giving a nod to the y2k fashion scene, floods the stage with character and nuanced choices, and we are introduced to the alliances within the two households.

Emily Ling Williams and Malik Nashad Sharpe’s co-direction of this production wants to tell the classic story through music and dance, but these moments seem like placeholders in the party scenes or scene changes. With Sharpe’s choreography, the unification of the disciplines comes in the form of a personified inner monologue for the two star-crossed lovers. The namesake pair, played by Dhruv Bhudia (Romeo) and Shakira Paulas (Juliet), are aided in their most intense moments, as we are treated to a series of pas de deux from Praeploy Pam Tomuan (Inner Juliet) and Louis Donovan (Inner Romeo). These are the moments that lift the piece to the multi-dimensional level, and integrating the artistry of music and dance into the storytelling throughout would have given the piece the edge they were searching for.

Romeo & Juliet, being one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays, is a hard one to make anew. A standout, fresh choice this production makes is ending the piece with the prologue of Shakespeare’s original. At the start, the story is set up with what we are about to witness, and perhaps the hope that there are possibilities to change the outcome. But with the prologue being the final speech, we are left with the question of, at what point will we learn from our mistakes so that our children don’t pay the price?

As the first co-production for the two powerhouse venues, you can’t deny the collaborative feel of the young voices in the company and how this shapes the production. The enthusiasm and commitment of each ensemble member brings a life to the piece that is full of genuine heart. This is a credit to the safe spaces buildings like Stratford East and Sadler’s Wells East can create, giving a platform to members of the community that in turn enrich our stages with diversity and culture.

Written by: William Shakespeare
Adapted by: Kwame Owusu
Co-directed by: Emily Ling Williams
Choreography & Co-direction by: Malik Nashad Sharpe
Set & Costume Design by: Liam Bunster
Lighting Design by: Alex Fernandes
Sound Design by: Nicola T Chang

Romeo & Juliet plays at Stratford East until Saturday 9 August.