Let’s set the record straight. I LOATHE Shakespeare. As an English major, I promise I’ve read enough about Shakespeare and dissected plenty of his poems and plays to have the educated opinion that this ancient poetic “genius” is over-studied and overdone.
A hot take for a literature student to hold, I know, but I drive a hard bargain. I was never planning on budging.
Enter Kit Connor and Rachel Zegler.
Romeo + Juliet debuted at the Circle in the Square on Sept. 26, immediately stunning audiences, selling out its first three performances. I initially brushed it off as sheer excitement around the two co-stars who had garnered passionate fans for their roles in Heartstopper and West Side Story, respectively. But the deeper I dove into video clips and interviews regarding the performance, I have to admit I was intrigued.
First, there’s the description of the story:
Director Sam Gold said in a statement about the play, “With the presidential election coming up in November, I felt like making a show this fall that celebrates youth and hope, and unleashes the anger young people feel about the world they are inheriting.” It’s no secret that Gen Z is going to have a major impact on the election this fall, so framing this performance as an emotional outpouring that reflects the political sphere we’re actively engaging with certainly makes Romeo + Juliet a relevant piece of art.
Then, there’s the beautiful, gorgeous friendship that is Kit and Rachel:
And while this isn’t the first “modern” retelling of Romeo and Juliet, something about this version does feel… fresh. Gold pitched it as a Troye Sivan music video, which, upon a quick YouTube search, evidently implies a colorful, sexually charged, artistic experience centered around today’s generation of young adults embracing who they are and what they want.
Now, I haven’t actually been to New York to see the play, but some leaked videos of the show have been circulating the internet. For example, the infamous pull-up kiss and an absolutely wild pre-show performance that literally sets the stage for the adaptation.
Shakespeare is a dead man. Art that requires active critical thinking is on its way to the same grave. From the limited knowledge I do possess about the show, I must reluctantly confess that Shakespeare in this content may have its merits, and I’m excited to see where Romeo + Juliet goes as it continues its (now extended) run on stage.