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Theatre Review Simply the best

Superlatives won’t do to describe a stunning new production of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy, says PAUL FOLEY

Romeo and Juliet
Royal Exchange Manchester

THERE are times — not often — when you sit down to write a review and realise that words such as “fabulous,” “wonderful” or even “magnificent” don’t do justice to a performance.

Romeo and Juliet currently running at the Royal Exchange Manchester presents one of those rare occasions.

Director Nicholai La Barrie has an immense understanding of the beauty and poetry of Shakespeare. His confidence in and command of the language and rhythm is excellent. 

This allows him to incorporate colloquialisms, period changes and to slightly shift an emphasis on a word to give the audience something new and exciting, and thus creating a Romeo and Juliet that’s relevant, fresh and modern, without losing any sense of the source material. 

In fact La Barrie brings out the play’s sense of fun, wit, bawdiness, romance and ultimately sadness with an undercurrent of the sheer futility of human conflict. 

Behind every great director lies a great team and Good Teeth’s and Azusa Ono’s amazing stage and lighting designs effortlessly and effectively complement the on-stage action.

They are helped by Mark Melville’s soundscape which wonderfully cranks up the tension, then melts away to a beautiful calmness which is heartbreaking.

However La Barrie’s vision needs his actors to deliver and boy, do they deliver.  

David Judge is at his swaggering, nonchalant, full-of-life best as Mercutio. There is a point when he begins to rap some of the Bard’s lines and it just feels so right.

In another scene he spars with Romeo, where they bounce witticisms of each other, like a poetry slam, with every word dissected and flung back at the other. Awesome. 

Adam Fenton envelops Mercutio’s bezzie Benvolio with an honourable loyalty for his mates while cloaked in a nervous fragility. 

In a nice switch, La Barrie makes Lady Capulet the head of the household and Kate Hampson’s badass matriarch is a delight.

The Capulet’s hard man, Tybalt, played by Ashley O’Brien, is full of bravado and puffed-up testosterone which is easily punctured by Romeo’s rapier.

A mention too for Gemma Ryan as the Nurse. Her comic timing is perfect while maintaining a maternal love she has for her ward.

And what of Juliet and her Romeo? 

All I will say is move over Claire Danes and Leonardo Di Caprio and many of our great Shakespearian actors, there are new kids on the block and they’ve set the bar very high. 

Shalisha James-Davis and Conor Glean are pitch-perfect as the star-crossed lovers. James-Davis is unbelievably good as her Juliet vacillates between hard-edged teenager, vulnerable daughter and mature lover.

Glen’s Romeo is a typical teenage boy, fickle, emotions out of control yet succumbs to a deep love which becomes all embracing. The couple are utterly believable and there was more than one tear shed at the end.

Not to be missed.

Runs until November 18. Box office: (0161) 833-9833, royalexchange.co.uk.

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