In the constantly evolving obsession with placing Shakespeare's plays into odd and challenging circumstances, this production was full on into it; however, I felt like they misread the room. As we entered the theater we were grilled with a multi-screen presentation of faux political Champaign commercials in which Lord Capulet was facing off against Lady Montague for the role of leader of Verona. These were projected in various portioned sizes, on multiple surfaces across the stage broadcasting the same (or details of the same) pre-recorded images full of contemporary references to current historical events and present day political issues (although I did notice that abortion was blatantly omitted). These screens (and groups of screens) were subdivided by vertical and horizontal bright light bars whose colors could be changed at will. How do I say this? It was overwhelming and off-putting--especially given how sick and tired I am of campaigning and campaign ads coupled with the fact that this little display had NOTHING to do with the rest of production!
Likewise, about half of the first scene was projected from a recording of the action until it spilled over onto the stage. Again multiple screens of various sizes flashing the same images simultaneously. This led, in my opinion to an awkward "out of the gate" for the actors and the audience alike. At various points throughout, many times while actors were on stage, video images of them were also projected for no apparent or sensible reason. Other than to create a distraction or show off the new toy.
The cast was multiracial, gender fluid (for example, both Mercutio and Tybalt were played by women, AND three of the actors were bi-lingual, (Lady Capulet, Juliet, and the Nurse). All of this is to push the boundaries of inclusion and open the theatre up to more diverse audiences like BIPOC, women, non-English speakers and folks who project multiple images of streaming services of various sizes on the walls of their homes. Partially because I know this and understand its place in the ABAR (Anti-Bias, Anti-Racist) ethos of most contemporary theatre, I tend to take it in stride. What this production taught me was that there can be too much of a good thing. You know what I think of the techno-stuff, now I will complain about the Spanish characters. I know some Spanish, enough to know that what the nurse was saying most of the time was not what Shakespeare had written. And most of her lines were delivered in Spanish. As an actor, Luz Nicolas, was one of the best, most compelling people in the production; sub-titles deflated what she was doing. And if it wasn't just a gimmick, why weren't their Spanish subtitles for all of the English lines? There were not. So you entice Spanish speakers to your show so they can understand about 12% of the entirety of what's being said? It wasn't inclusive, it was condescending.
So who in the cast held up in the midst of all of the flashing lights and mediocre translations, confusing choreography and half-assed ABAR components? A surprising number! First out of the gate, Cole Taylor, as Romeo. He was fresh and sincere at times vulnerable and at other times adolescently headstrong. I really enjoyed his performance. Juliet was a little more inconsistent--but then I forgot to mention that Romeo had a drinking problem, as did Lord Capulet, and Juliet was a bit of a coke fiend...loved the nose candy. (See what I mean? So much shit flopped on top of it, I can't even recall it all in a single thought! And if anything was superfluous, the drug and alcohol use was.) Deep breath... ah; continue: Giovanna Alcantara Drummond and Alina Collins Maldonado as Mercutio and Tybalt respectively. They were full of sexy swagger, tossed in a little Lesbian innuendo (When Mercurtio stuck his knife in Tybalt's face, she stuck out her tongue and licked it! OMG, brilliant move! 100% love it!) Together they pulled off one the most believable knife fight scenes I have ever seen. I've already mentioned Luz Nicolas, but she was so good, I don't mind saying it twice. We often see the nurse as a cackling, comic, half-wit tragically co-opted to assist the doomed young lovers. Luz spun that on its head transforming the nurse into the powerful mother figure that Juliet couldn't find in her own mother, and we saw so much more of the profound love and sorrow. She's amazing. Taking a closer look at Caro Reyes Rivera's Juliet, she had a rough start. Her portrayal was flat and then girlishly manic through most of the first half, snorting coke every time Romeo or the Nurse turned their backs on her. Again, why? In the second act, she finally had her moments, especially the confused soliloquy after learning that Romeo had killed her cousin, Tybalt. She also knew how to dye mercifully quickly.
There's another actor who gets cast a lot in Shakespeare plays around town, and honestly I don't know why. John Floyd is a slight, Black man who plays every part with an effeminate flair. Whether he's a Senator in "Timon of Athens," or Mardian in "Anthony and Cleopatra;" Donalbain in "Macbeth" or Flute in a "Midsummer Night's Dream," he's positively feline. As Benvolio, notwithstanding the 3-inch pumps, bell-bottoms, form fitting T-shirt and earring bouncing off of his right shoulder, he was actually more robust, ev even subdued. I felt like he'd put more effort into discovering something more dimensional in the character. I overheard the women sitting next to me ask her younger male companion if Shakespeare wrote Benvolio as a gay man. And I thought, "Oh, Honey, if you think Benvolio is gay, you should have seen his Mandian! Unfortunately, in the second act, he had his recitation of the fight scene between Romeo and Tybalt and it all unraveled as he just became subtly more histrionic the further into the description he got. At one point I picture Vicki Lawrence in that "Gone with the Breeze" sketch from Carole Burnett screaming "I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' no babies!" Sigh.
The role of the Prince was played by Deidra LaWan Starnes a fine actress whom I loved in her performance in 1st Stage's production of Lynn Nottage's "Milma's Tale". Unfortunately, she was upstaged by her costume--a sort of cross between Captain White America and Elvis in Las Vegas (the fat years) that made it impossible to take her seriously, and once she pulled out the air-horn? O Lordy, I cringed for her. Todd Scofield played Lord Capulet like "Bid Daddy" from "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof". That didn't really work, either.
What the production needs is a "Less is More" makeover. And honestly, when you look at all the talent on the stage, then at all the ways in which choices about the presentation and the ways in which the talent was used spun confusion, you have to just blame the Director. Raymond O. Caldwell has an impressive resume all across the DMV, that includes both awards and nominations for awards. But this was his first foray into Shakespeare. I feel like he traded away the power of the story for a chance at staging a spectacle...a circus. Maybe a comedy would have been a better place for him to begin.
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