Romeo + Juliet (Broadway)

♣♣♣/♣♣♣♣♣

Romeo (Kit Connor) is a Montague and Juliet (Rachel Zegler) is a Capulet. Those two families just do not mix, or else there will be conflict. And conflict there was, indeed. From the moment the two lovebirds set eyes on one another, it was love they felt, and they became inseparable since then, but in secret. Nobody could know about their budding relationship or else there will be trouble, but there is no hiding a secret for long. Juliet’s Nurse (Tommy Dorfman) can’t be supportive knowing the consequences. When the secret is revealed and people start getting wind of the situation, tensions run high leading to some deaths, like that of Mercutio (Gabby Beans) who is Romeo’s friend or Tybalt (Tommy Dorfman), Juliet’s cousin. In a world that is persistent in tearing them apart, will romance be enough of a deterrent for a happy relationship between star-crossed lovers of two feuding clans?

My philosophy when it comes to booking tickets for Broadway shows that feature Hollywood big names is to buy them early. I bought my Romeo + Juliet ticket on th8ae first day it went on sale for $200, the most expensive Broadway ticket I’ve ever bought after 8 years and 63 shows. On the day of the show itself, I checked the prices and the same ticket dropped to just less than $100. If it’s any consolation, I did the same for Robert Downey Jr. 's McNeal for $115. On the day of the show, the same ticket was selling above $200. Break even. My point is, if I were to pay $200 for a Broadway show, it defo wouldn’t be for this Romeo + Juliet.

Take this review with a grain of salt, because it might be just a ME problem after all. I’ve loved reading Shakespeare so far, but watching it onstage, which is what it was originally intended to be, just doesn’t do it for me. Maybe it’s the dated lines and rhyming verses? For this particular rendition of the classic tale, which I haven’t read yet despite being familiar with the storyline that has been rehashed ad nauseam since 1597, they opt for minimalism as far as production values are concerned. They update the costumes to look avantgarde but they keep the rhymes and alliterations, tweaked for modern references and comedic effect.

As such, what you get is a weird mix. I suppose if they went traditional and just did it as Shakespeare would have intended, costumes and sets and all, then the stilted dialogue wouldn’t have felt so unnatural. As it is, what comes across is a bunch of flamboyantly dressed teenagers peddling spoken word performance art, which I wouldn’t mind seeing in the streets or at some random park for free. Only Connor, who keeps his British accent, somehow hits the mark. I don’t know. Shakespeare and the British accent just go together really well. The rest simply felt derivative and somehow contrived.

Zegler gets to sing a song or two, which was a good break from everything. We have already heard her sing in the most recent film remake of West Side Story, but I guess watching her live showing off her vocal chops will finally dismiss all the doubts her haters have been spewing non stop online about her. The girl is talented. She can sing. She can act. Romeo + Juliet just proves that, even though I liked her better in that movie, which happens to be just another reimagining of this Shakespeare narrative. The rest of the cast also give us a good show, making do of what has been given to them by the production.

Anyone who has been at the Circle in the Square theater would know how small the actual stage is. What sets it apart from other theaters is how the entirety of the venue can be utilized, like those stairs used by the audience to get to their seats as well as those ladders giving access to the maze of steel passages up above. As such, the cast deserves some kudos because you need to be fit to be able to do all that climbing, 8 shows in a week and twice a day on weekends. Other than that, the stage is underwhelming, with just one flapping platform revealing a flower bed and an actual bed lowered from the ceiling that doubles as Juliet’s balcony.

Overall, this has been an imaginative rendition of the classic Shakespeare play and was a good opportunity to verify whether Zegler and Connor can act live, which I can happily confirm. But I still want my $200 back. Venmo me, please.