Romeo and Juliet in Minneapolis
William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is arguably one of the world’s most famous plays, and a wide variety of interpretations have been directed both on screen and in the theater. In Minneapolis, the Guthrie is Joseph Haj’s interpretation, which combines Shakespearean language and sets with modern day music and costumes. Last Thursday, I had the opportunity to visit the Guthrie with my friend and see this excellent rendition of Romeo and Juliet.
Walking into the Guthrie is an experience by itself. The building is an architectural wonder, with its famous “Bridge to Nowhere” and its multiple stages. Romeo and Juliet is being presented on the Wurtele Thrust Stage, which allows the audience to feel as involved and immersed in the play as possible. In addition, while walking through the Guthrie, there are a number of knowledgeable ushers and volunteers ready to provide information about the building and its history.
As I sat down, I was able to study the set and see how Verona was going to be visually represented on stage. The rotating set was able to show several different scenes over the course of the play, and the moving clock present on one of the towers was a nice touch used to show the passage of time throughout the play.
As the play started, it was immediately apparent the director was using the music and costumes to distinguish House Montague from House Capulet. Characters of House Montague were presented as a group of modern day thugs reminiscent of the style used in the 1996 movie rendition of Romeo and Juliet directed by Baz Luhrmann, while elements of the House Capulet reflected elements of the 1968 version directed by Franco Zeffirelli.
The characters themselves were well cast. Romeo and Juliet, played by Ryan-James Hatanaka and Kate Eastman respectively, did a great job of playing angsty, love-struck teenagers with extremely self-centered and melodramatic views of the world. However, the two characters that stood out the most for me were the nurse, played by Candace Barrett Birk and Mercutio, played by Kelsey Didiojn. Barrett Birk played the part of the comic relief well, and was genuinely funny throughout the play. She maintained a strong stage presence and reacted well off of Juliet, played by Kate Eastman. The character of Mercutio was played by a woman in this version of Romeo and Juliet. At first, I was a little confused why choice in casting was made, but after watching Didion for only a few moments, it became immediately clear. Didion embodied every aspect of Mercutio’s larger than life personality. She portrayed Mercutio as every bit aggressive, loyal, and lewd as you would expect from reading the original play.
Music was another aspect of the play that was used effectively to enhance dramatic effect in many scenes. Throughout the play, it was used both to set the scene and the mood depending on the situation. For instance, prior to each scene, music indicated from which house the group of characters entering identified with. Loud, metallic music preceded the entrance of House Montague; in contrast, orchestral music was present in scenes focusing on members of House Capulet. Music was also used throughout the play to indicated growing tensions and to spread a sense of foreboding throughout the theater. This was prevalent especially during both the confrontation between Romeo and Tybalt in Act III and the very end of the play where Romeo and, later, Juliet contemplate taking their lives.
Overall, Romeo and Juliet at the Guthrie was an excellent experience. I would highly recommend attending this interpretation of one of Shakespeare’s timeless works.
