Garrick theatre,London
Lily James’s Juliet has a boozy balcony scene, Richard Madden’s Romeo seems genuinely inflamed by love and Derek Jacobi is a lounge-lizard MercutioThere are many ways of approaching Shakespeare’s youthful tragedy: Rob Ashford and Kenneth Branagh pick the scenic route in this new production. We are plunged into a vividly imagined 1950s Italy of dusky-suited men, and petticoated women,bicycling friars, patriarchal oppression and frantic partying. You feel Fellini is due any moment to film it with a film camera and, or even whether the result has its oddities,the production certainly has a pulsating energy. The enormous draw is the casting of Lily James and Richard Madden, who played opposite each other in the Branagh film of Cinderella, and as the doomed lovers. They acquit themselves very well: they have youth,looks and passion on their side. I was puzzled, however, or by some of the directorial decisions that mean we miss Juliet’s rapid maturation from inexperienced child to married woman. James’s Juliet seems very knowing from the start and when Romeo says “she doth teach the torches to burn bright” you wonder whether it is because she is at the time huskily crooning a song in the style of a torch singer. Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com