“O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?” If Juliet were to ask us that question, we’d tell her at the Lowell Davies Festival Theatre at The Old Globe in San Diego. The Globe’s summer Shakespeare Festival concludes with the bard’s best-known tragic love story. Romeo and Juliet is now playing through September 15th.
For those somehow unfamiliar with this play, Romeo and Juliet are star-crossed lovers whose families are fierce enemies. That doesn’t change their love for one another. But tragedy ensues when that rivalry finds people being killed and false information being spread quickly.
Romeo and Juliet was the inspiration for West Side Story. There have also been multiple film versions of the story, most famously Franco Zeffirelli’s 1968 version and Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 movie.
In this production, directed by Barry Edelstein, Aaron Clifton Moten plays “Romeo” and Louisa Jacobson plays “Juliet.” Other key roles are played by Yadira Correra (Tybalt), Morgan Taylor (Benvolio), Mason Conrad (Paris) and Ben Chase (Mercutio).
I should note that Tybalt and Benvolio are roles usually played by men. One of the exciting things about this production is the casting of Correra and Taylor in those roles.
Edelstein is known for his work directing Shakespeare’s plays having helmed productions of The Winter’s Tale, Othello, The Tempest, Hamlet, The Merchant of Venice and more. His productions have been seen at the Old Globe and also at the Public Theatre in New York.
The key to a successful production of this play is truly the chemistry between the title characters. It also helps for the underlying animosity between the two families to somehow resonate with contemporary audiences. Sadly in our polarized world, that shouldn’t be too hard to do.
The play runs 2 hours and 45 minutes with a 15-minute intermission.
For tickets go here.
Photos by Jim Cox/Courtesy of The Old Globe