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Regional Reviews: Washington, D.C. Romeo and Juliet Also see Susan's review of Babbitt
Caldwell has set his story of star-crossed lovers and warring families in a Verona that looks a lot like contemporary D.C. (right down to the platform of a Metrorail station) in the midst of a presidential campaign pitting blowhard Lord Capulet (Todd Scofield) against elegant Lady Montague (Renee Elizabeth Wilson). While the Montagues and Capulets may have hated each other before, this election places them directly in the public eye. Caldwell uses technology both as a means to tell the story and as part of the performance. Most notably, he introduces the main characters in ingenious pre-show videos: the creative team took excerpts of speeches given at this summer's Democratic and Republican National Conventions and, assisted by artificial intelligence, adapted them into blank verse parallel to Shakespeare's own words. Everyone onstage is also mesmerized by technology; Romeo (achingly sincere Cole Taylor), Juliet (radiant Caro Rivera Reyes), and their friends communicate largely through texting and social media, while Friar Lawrence (Brandon Carter), dressed in a sequined black suit, presents his opening soliloquy as a podcast. In addition, some minor characters have been cut from this production, while others appear only as digital media captures. The constant presence of online communication isolates the characters even as they try to connect with each other. Some plot points appear as social media posts, and moments from the fight among Tybalt (Alina Collins Maldonado), Mercutio (Giovanna Alcântara Drummond), and Romeo soon appear as news bulletins on television monitors. There's more to Caldwell's expansion of the material, but it never becomes overly confusing. For example, Lady Capulet (Fran Tapia) and the Nurse (Luz Nicolas, who steals her scenes as usual for the role) are Latina, and often speak to each other and to Juliet in Spanish with projected English supertitles. For another, Romeo, Juliet, and their friends need drugs or alcohol just to get through the day. The physical production is all-encompassing in its size and detail. Jonathan Dahm Robertson's multi-level scenic design allows for action in numerous settings, while Alberto Segarra's lighting design incorporates jolts of neon brightness among the more naturalistic moments. Costume designer Jeannette Christensen has created character-defining looks ranging from sleek business suits to tough streetwear and impressively draped, skin-baring gowns for Lady Capulet. Romeo and Juliet runs through November 10, 2024, in Folger Shakespeare Library, Elizabethan Theatre, 201 E. Capitol St. SE, Washington DC. For tickets and information, please call 202-544-7077 or visit Folger.edu. By William Shakespeare Cast: |
