William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is one of the most produced and adapted plays in the history of western culture. Its themes and quotations are intricately woven into our cultural zeitgeist. A myriad of options are a click away on streaming devices. Sure, you can watch Romeo and Juliet with guns and zombies, but to truly appreciate the root of the star-crossed lovers’ genre, go see North Coast Repertory Theatre’s Romeo and Juliet at the D Street Theater.
A refresher: Two young people from families whose rivalry has caused many deaths in their city meet and fall completely, madly in love with each other. Their attempts to be together are thwarted by the continuing feud and an angry father. Romeo (A.J. Hempstead) is banished because of the feud and Juliet (Kahvi Zvaleko) betrothed to another by her father. A hopeful friar concocts a dangerous and complicated plan to fake Juliet’s death and reunite her with Romeo. The plan goes awry; Romeo takes his own life when he believes his Juliet is truly dead. Juliet in turn wakes from her feigned death to find Romeo dead beside her and takes her own life. After the heads of the rival families find their dead children they finally understand the consequences of their rivalry and end the feud.
This production is best described as maximalist. The set, designed by David Hamilton, is luscious, detailed and beautiful. The costumes, designed by Calder Johnson, are rich and colorful for the nobility, and appropriately toned down for their servants and the clergy. In all, the visuals bring the period of Italian Renaissance to life. The characters are maximalist as well. Romeo isn’t just some hopeless romantic. Hempstead makes Romeo the most hopeless romantic when he sees Juliet. His anger is quick and ferocious when he fights Tybalt; his heartbreak over his own actions because of that anger is painful to see. His ultimate devastation over the death of his lover is truly tragic. Zvaleko matches Hempstead’s emotional energy every step of the way. She brings Juliet from giddy first-love highs to fierce defiance of her father to her terrifying bravery in taking the drug to induce a death-like state. When they meet, they reel from the force of their emotions, creating a sweet, romantic courtship I thoroughly enjoyed.
The supporting cast reach their own convincing highs and lows that both support and contrast with the main couple. Lord Capulet (Hamilton) turns from gracious, benevolent host to tyrannical father in a way I found frighteningly real. Filip Amborski delivers Mercutio’s bawdy jibes with hilarious miming that really help drive home the punchlines. Andrea Zvaleko has great timing with Nurse’s distracted way of speaking and is earnest in her devotion to Juliet.
It’s risky to turn the emotional dial up so high. The line between engrossing melodrama and annoying histrionics is thin. But the elevated emotions helped my buy-in for the rising stakes in the story. In addition, I am not afraid to admit that, in general, I struggle with Shakespearean dialogue. I rely heavily on physical context cues, no matter how clearly the dialogue is spoken. I can become lost and disinterested in the story without such cues. I know I am not alone in this experience, and that may be why many are turned off or intimidated by Shakespeare plays. This play is worth meeting the production’s bravery with your own by risking an evening seeing it. The cast really helps the audience understand their character’s actions and motivations by leaning into their melodrama and physicality.
While the play is a tragedy, there is humor, sweetness, cunning and hope, as well. I try not to get hung up on the “thees” and “thous,” and instead relax into the emotional journey the actors take me on. Before long, what sounds strange becomes familiar and I feel I understand more. This play has a directing team of Hamilton, Johnson, Caroline Needham and Evan Needham. Their combined talents shaped the strong acting into a story told in its fullness.
This play is not all tears and laughter — a great many characters die, most by the sword, and that means lots of action-packed swordplay. Johnson and Caroline Needham are the fight choreographers, and have pulled out all the stops while still acknowledging individual skill levels. Each fight scene was unique and fun, as the actors were clearly having a great time. There is something about the fight between Tybalt (Caroline Needham) and Mercutio especially that transports me. If I were to squint just so, I think I could have seen the groundlings cheering and booing in front of the stage. Which reminds me: Cheer and boo when you go see the play. It’s mana for the actors and keeps the spirit of Shakespeare alive.
NCRT’s production of Romeo and Juliet continues at the 5th and D Street Theater through Aug. 3, with Friday and Saturday performances at 8 p.m., and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. visit ncrt.net.
Doranna Benker Gilkey (she/her) is a longtime Humboldt County resident and can often be found at her store Dandar’s Boardgames and Books in Arcata.
This article appears in The Conductor.