Warning: This article contains spoilers for Romeo + Juliet.
William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet has seen countless adaptations on the stage and the screen. Each version takes a life of its own and puts its spin on the classic tragedy. Yet another version of the play has arrived on New York’s Broadway’s Circle in the Square theater, Romeo + Juliet, starring Rachel Zegler reprising the role of Juliet and Kit Connor as Romeo.
I was lucky to see the show on its third day of previews. For all opening shows, there is a period when the creative team can change any part of the show each night before it opens officially. Because of this, the shows before and after the night I watched can have some or many changes. Romeo + Juliet’s days of previews have been from Sept. 26 until its official opening on Oct. 24.
Before watching the show, I, of course, knew and loved Romeo and Juliet, but I was adamant about not knowing anything about this version. The only information I had was the play’s blurb on the website: “Shakespeare’s timeless tragedy now belongs to a new generation on the edge.” Other than that, I went in blind.
The first thing that blew me away was the venue. The Circle in the Square theater is quite small, with a capacity of 776 on a circular stage in the center of the theater. The size made for a much more intimate experience than a regular theater would have composed. The actors were physically closer, which not only meant they were able to make subtle decisions a larger stage would not have sustained, but it also created many opportunities for audience interactions throughout the show.
Although the set design was minimalistic, it was a spectacular highlight of one of the many creative liberties taken. The stage was bare most of the time, except for various set pieces that remained on or near the stage for the entirety of the show, like a chair. However, some sets stood out to me, like Juliet’s bed, a piece made to hang from the ceiling, moving up and down, in addition to a large bed of flowers made from the stage floor.
Along with the eclectic set designs were the show’s equally bold costume design. Each character went through a series of costume changes, one flashier than the next. This show is not afraid to use bright, eye-catching colors and silhouettes for each character. During the Capulet’s party at the beginning of the play, every character wore completely gold and silver sequin costumes!
It was interesting to witness how the play maintained its Shakespearean cadence while being surrounded by modern concepts. The play absolutely made use of this tension, including both extremes of the spectrum. The dialogue was loyal to the original piece, but it was done with a live DJ playing in the background for the entire show. Not to mention, the Borg was on stage the whole time.
The show’s marketing emphasized how Romeo + Juliet is for the modern youth, and I can say they kept their promise. In the beginning, I’ll admit I was worried the emphasis on modernity would side with the realm as cheesy or ingenuine, but I cannot say that was the case for this show. Every actor was more than committed to sounding genuine in their dialogue, which can be incredibly difficult when speaking Shakespearean English.
This rendition of Romeo and Juliet is truly a love letter to its original counterpart. It maintains the level of tragedy the two lovers face in a space that encourages the character’s youth and impulsiveness. I am quite proud to say I was able to have this show as my first Broadway play. If you can see it, I would ask you to do yourself a favor and buy tickets.