Shakespeare Warns Us: Give Up Vengeance!

by Lynne Stevens

In Theatre Lunatico’s “Romeo and Juliet,” The Chorus (all the cast) take poses depicting scenes we will witness love, anger, dance, play. They describe the two dignified but feuding households in fair Verona. But these teenagers have it right but have no control over their destiny other than to sneak around and act out.

Yes, the play is long, but except for a drunken interval between Mercutio, Benvolio, and Tybalt, Director Michael Barr moves the pace along swiftly and delightfully. I wonder whether using swords rather than daggers might have filled the space better.

As Prince Escalus, Lauri Smith in red velvet jacket is commanding and dignified. The Prince dictates that the feuding families must stop attacking each other.  Their punishment will be “on pain of death” if they refuse to follow the law.

As Old Peter, Rachel Brown lightens the tragedy with her body language, uses elastic face, and expressive eyes. She is a keen observer of the oldster’s careful ambling. I wonder if she had ancestors in vaudeville. It is a delight whenever she is on stage.

Rocking out, the disguised Montagues wear yellow, while the Capulets sport purple, following choreographer Jordan Oda Beck’s blend of traditional dance with rock and rap moves. In modern dress, the entire ensemble busts a move at the  party where  “the star-crossed lovers” meet.

As Juliet and Romeo, Elana Swartz and Christian Jimenez fall in love credibly, taken with each other as impressionable 14-year-olds. When she learns Romeo is a Montague and an enemy of her family, Juliet shows herself more mature than the grown-ups. Her anguish is heart breaking.

How can she hate Romeo just because he is a Montague? For Romeo, Juliet can do no wrong. He describes her as sparkling like the stars. The lovers embody light—in contrast to the darkness of the feuding men.

JULIET:
Tis but thy name that is my enemy.
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What’s Montague?
. . . . .
O, be some other name!
What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.

The elders think they know best and are locked into arranging Juliet’s life for her.

Yet another rumble between Mercutio and Tybalt leaves Mercutio dead. These young hot heads just don’t learn. The feud is in their blood, and they must have the last word.

Lauri Smith’s Nurse is all loving memories of Juliet’s life from tot to teen. She can’t help herself, following Juliet’s emotional progress. In her purple apron, she carries on like a doting grandmother. She is very protective of Juliet and scorns men and all the evil they do.

NURSE:
There’s no trust,
No faith, no honesty in men; all perjured,
All forsworn, all naught, all dissemblers.

I wondered how they would play the balcony scene in this tiny space. The answer turns out to be imagination. A bench decorated with a trellis and flowers serves as a balcony.  The lovebirds conduct their famous speeches with ease. Tucked away for a few hours, the pair is safe, beyond the reach of their warring families.  They are hope for a better world.

Hopefully we do not need a pair of young lovers to be sacrificed for the cause. Hatfields and McCoys, Republicans and Democrats, Sharks and Jets. Yet we see it daily in the news. Mistaken deportations, denying science, healthcare and culture!

The language is glorious! See Theatre Lunatico’s modern riff on “Romeo & Juliet.” It’s terrific!

 

“Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare, directed by Michael Barr, lighting by Francesca Berlow, costumes by Tara Blau Smollen, set design by Umut Yalcinkaya, choreography by Jordan Oda Beck, at Theatre Lunatico, La Val’s, Berkeley, California. Info: theatrelunatico.com – to May 18, 2025.

Cast: Rachel Brown, Devon deGroot, Shane Fahy, James Paul Gregory, Christian Jimenez, Shawn Oda, Lauri Smith, Elana Swartz, and Umut Yalcinkaya.

Banner photo: Ensemble, Dance Party