Romeo and Juliet – Bristol Old Vic

Bristol Old Vic theatre hosted a modern take on Romeo and Juliet that breathes new life into Shakespeare’s classic tragedy with the bold addition of rap and R&B.

This high-concept adaptation seeks to blend contemporary political commentary with timeless themes of love and conflict, resulting in a production that is as thought-provoking as it is ambitious. The use of rap and R&B as the primary mediums for dialogue and storytelling adds an energetic and innovative layer to the production.

This ingenious production of Romeo and Juliet, directed by Corey Campbell is mainly faithful to Shakespeare's original script but intertwines it with music and rap to add whole new layers and pack a powerful punch. The opening scene is particularly powerful, featuring a soaring lone violin and strong music underlining the powerful story summary of the prologue.

When Juliet (Mia Khan) sings "Wherefore art though Romeo?” it is with a heartfelt soulfulness full of emotion and newfound love and despair that would be impossible to evoke from simply saying the line.

Three of the cast also feature, at times, as musicians: Pete Ashmore playing the Prince and the violin, Natasha Lewis playing the Nurse and the trombone and Samuel Gosrani playing Tybalt and the guitar.

The set is an interesting design of a series of panels that line up in a semicircle around the back of the stage, but pivot to become doors, creating entrances and exits and letting in light through their grid patterns, thus signifying the time of day and the passage of time. They also move to let in additional pieces of set such as Juliet's bed, and a galleried staircase which doubles as a party/ball singing stage and Juliet's infamous balcony.

Projections add to the performance well, particularly in the early scene where the rivalry between the two houses is set up as a conflict between political opponents, Lord Capulet and Lady Montague. They stand, one each side of the stage, behind screens that initially show speeches from the Houses of Parliament that then fade to the characters themselves, with their speeches echoing those of the real politicians featured in the videos.

Monochrome costumes feature throughout, with most characters, particularly the main ones, dressed in black or white or a combination of both. This reflects the black and white mentality of the play and the seemingly clearcut divide between the feuding families of the Capulets and the Montagues. This also mirrors the light and dark themes of the play, such as Romeo referring to Juliet as the sun and the times they wait for the darkness of night or the light of dawn.

There is a freshness and grittiness about this production and some of the characters, particularly Kyle Ndukuba who shines in his professional stage debut as Romeo.

But the central trio of older women, Yasmin Wilde as Friar Laurence, Natasha Lewis as the Nurse and Lauren Moakes as Lady Capulet, are outstanding, and they bring out the best in their younger scene partners.

Though it’s rough-edged and still has room to grow, this progressive production’s fervour and originality make it one to catch.