Romeo and Juliet by Jo

Before the performance, I was really unsure of what it would be like. Last year, for English, I read Romeo and Juliet, and I really disliked it. I enjoyed the story, but I hated the confusing language. I didn’t know if the play would use the same language or create something different based solely on the storyline. Because it seemed that much of the script was directly from the book, the show, most unfortunately, was only mildly entertaining.

The connection between the fate of star-crossed lovers and the fate of which actor plays which character was very creative. I was impressed by the originality of the thematic connection. Also impressive was the fact that each actor learned every part. If any of them forgot their lines, it was completely imperceptible. The acting was very good, at least to my untrained eye. The portrayal of emotions was outstanding and the versatility of each actor between characters was incredible.

The language unfortunately made the play very boring. I understand that it’s the way the original was written, but I still found it very drab. The costumes, most assumedly were purposefully designed, were curious. I’m assuming there’s some kind of reasoning behind the lack of detailing or color, but I found them to be quite lifeless. Maybe it is so the audience will pay less attention to their attire and focus more on the dialogue, thus only being for the purpose of character distinction.

Overall, the experience was not a bad one. It hasn’t been my favorite theatrical performance, but it was bearable. The improvisational aspect was an interesting twist and the skill of the performers was very impressive.