It is not profound to say that Romeo and Juliet is a play that explores the themes of reason and passion in its characters. The modern version of that take is to say that if only everyone had just not been in such a rush, well, the Montagues and the Capulets would still be at war, but we wouldn’t have two dead teenagers.
The Shakespeare Theatre Company Academy’s Romeo and Juliet hits with high energy and raw performances. This rendition, at the prestigious Klein Theatre, is in repertory with Aphra Behn’s The Rover, or The Banish’d Cavaliers. The productions showcase the talent and dedication of The Shakespeare Theatre Company Academy’s MFA class of 2024, who have honed their craft through a rigorous year of training in classical languages and text study, along with stage combat.
So, as these students explore the themes as part of their character objectives (please excuse my Stanislavski theorizing), we get to see a production that is both familiar and fairly refreshing. The elegance and love for the language is present for the actors; the love for the stage and care for the work is palpable. There are moments when they’re clearly having fun on stage, especially in the ensemble moments where they navigate a fight scene between dynamic scaffolds (the centerpiece of the show’s set).
For this stage, this set is simple: two scaffolds with stairs that are used throughout as a climbing tower of the previously mentioned fight scenes. The lighting and sound designwil (Minjoo Kim and Ian Vesperman, respectively) is minimal. The onus of the production rests on the performances and the actors’ character choices.
So that constant balance between reason and passion is what drives the performance. Sadie Koopman gives Juliet a different approach from the ingénue type that seems to have permeated this character from the Luc Besson film. Although her version of Juliet is aged up from the original text (there’s a moment where they describe her as 16, up from 13, in this play), she plays Juliet as a brash pre-teenager who is overwrought by feelings of love and passion. I have an odd sense that I’ve seen these professions of teen angst in a similar form from my own nieces and nephews when they don’t have their way.
Clint Blakely’s approach is a similar to Koopman’s, embodying Romeo in a hormone-driven rush, bouncing from scene to scene, emotions-forward, whether it’s precariously on top of the scaffold or delivered directly from stage front.
These kids, man.
This is a refreshing portrayal, especially when contrasted to the measured approach brought by the adults in the play. I think Friar Lawrence (Brett Earnest) highlights this the best. Earnest’s shock when he receives news of Romeo’s intention to marry is followed by a pause as he empathizes with the emotions. He pauses (a quiet moment in an otherwise heightened production) and lays a comforting and supportive hand on Romeo — this was solidly an exceptional moment.
To that, a gentle piece of constructive criticism: So much of the performances maintain a heightened level of energy throughout with no pause or variation in the energy. Friar Lawrence is the major exception, along with Juliet’s final monologue. In that moment Koopman delivers Juliet’s sorrow in the most nuanced tone we’ve seen up to that point. It’s a successful moment that highlights the difference between her earlier teen angst and true grief.
With these recent grads helming the performances, and Alec Wild directing (a classic talent in his own right), we get an earnest, refreshing, and talented take on these characters and performances. And for the relatively accessible price point of the show ($20 a ticket), this is a production that makes for a fruitful theater outing, or a fun date night.
Or at least a date night where you can say to the other person, “I’m glad I’m not that couple.”
Running Time: Two hours and 30 minutes, including one intermission.
Romeo and Juliet plays through July 27, 2024, presented by the Shakespeare Theatre Company Academy performing at the Michael R. Klein Theatre, 450 7th Street NW, Washington, DC. Tickets ($20) are available at the box office, online, or by calling 202-547-1122.
Performance Dates
July 20 at 8 pm
July 23 & 25 at 7:30 pm
July 27 at 8 pm
The full cast and crew list can be viewed in the online program.
COVID Safety: All STC spaces are mask-friendly — meaning all patrons, masks and unmasked, are welcome. Read more about Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Health and Safety policies here.
SEE ALSO:
A bawdy romcom in STC Academy’s ‘The Rover, or The Banish’d Cavaliers (review by Alexandra Bowman, July 27, 2024)
