‘A plague on both your houses’ - the contemporary retelling of ‘Romeo and Juliet' at the Lyric Theatre
Hannah O’Neill
Shakespeare’s tragedy ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is perhaps the most well-known tale in modern culture. The story has travelled a long way from 1597 England, from movies to plays and university essays, the legacy of this tale is imprinted in human culture. Now taking the stage in South Belfast’s Lyric Theatre, the play is far from its Elizabethan roots. In this version of the tragedy, the scene is set in contemporary Italy. This ‘high fashion’ Verona presents the timeless discourse under modern perils of money, class, and spectacle.
“This contemporary setting of the story, with Shakespeare’s original text, takes audiences to Verona in the summer of 2022 in the world of Italian high fashion” - Lyric Theatre
With the original words of Shakespeare, doubled with a radically different time zone, the play encapsulates the intense rivalry between the Montagues and Capulets. Now in an industry fabricated with opposition and performance, the ladies of each household serve as fashion rivals. Directed by Philip Crawford and adapted by Dr Anne Bailie, this version pulls on the battle between old and new, love and foe, life and death. An incredible performance from the cast is accompanied by a flamboyant use of staging, music, and costume, all of which pay homage to the stupendous drama of Shakespearean works. Irony as the central theme is not lost amongst the extravaganza of modernity and fashion; rather it is heightened through the ‘elite-ness’ of couture and highlights the tragedy of the fall. Upon entrance, the staging and music are riveting and truly captivate the ‘feeling’ of Shakespeare. Typically, the first half is lighter than the latter, and the company conveyed all areas of artistry as intense and deep. The second half illuminated the tragedy of the fall. The cast’s emotions were mesmerizing, perhaps reiterated in the atmospheric silence of onlookers.
This is not the first time this play has been rethought under the modern backdrop of society. Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’, released in 1996, undergoes a similar approach. However the achievement of this particular play is in its relevance to the fashion culture of 2022, and how this perceives tragedy and drama so well. Moreover, for so long we did not have the opportunity to sit together and appreciate art, and so often we forget that we should.
The combination of old and new breathes air onto the stage. During the infamous balcony scene, Juliet speaks, “My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep” (893:175), and, “O Swear not by the moon, th’inconstant moon” (893:151). These words reference the infinite nature of time, and the presence of astronomy binds the past and present, forcing great impact. For it is still as tragic that Romeo mistakes sleep for death in a contemporary context, and still as astonishing that Juliet does not fear death. The words written by candlelight some 500 years ago are once again brought to life under a new context.
The Lyric is showing Romeo and Juliet until March 5, and I highly recommend paying a visit. If not as a taste of culture and art away from 21st-century life, then in homage to the value of storytelling. The performance is fantastic, and all involved give 100 per cent of themselves to portray the madness, comedy, and tragedy. The script adds just enough ‘newness’ in that it does not become the focus, yet adds to the beauty and chaos. Additionally, the beauty of the staging and costume design is enough to convince me to purchase another ticket. The repetition of Mercutio’s “A plague o’ both your houses!” was perhaps one of the best line deliveries, capturing the essence of Shakespearean melancholy and irony, immune to time and place.
Hannah O’Neill is a Culture reporter for The Scoop and is a third-year English and Sociology student at Queen’s University Belfast.