"Romeo and Juliet" Was Brilliant!

My wife and I saw "Romeo and Juliet" in Prescott Park yesterday, and what a treat!

As if the day's weather wasn't perfect enough, CJ Lewis' fantastic portrayal of Lord Capulet -- not to mention his original music design that brought even more edge to a way-edgy production -- was an expected highlight, but appreciated nonetheless. I say "expected" because, having seen Lewis perform a few times before, most notably in the wonderful and captivating Lamplight Chronicles at Strawberry Banke, and as Benedick in last year's "Much Ado About Nothing", one cannot be too surprised at the comfort he brings to any role.

It seems unfair to leave a single name out of recognition, but Kristina Mueller as the Nurse, Valerie Terranova as Juliet, Elise Williams as Friar Lawrence, Elise Toscano as Lady Capulet, and Dylan Kammerer as Benvolio all deserve special notice for strong, consistent performances, and Tim Jacobs played Tybalt with just the right amount of scorn and hostility toward the hated Montagues without becoming a silly caricature. Kammerer's decision to break character to help a woman navigate her way out of the park, brief as it was, was absolutely hilarious. Ryan Salvato's Romeo was a tad understated in my opinion, though he rose gallantly to the occasion upon receiving news of his banishment.

But truth be told, it was Ben Williams as Mercutio who stole the show. He had me laughing from the moment he took the stage, casually and effortlessly involving the audience in his jokes and jests, and delivering his monologues with a seriousness that left me staring into the distance in search of that which Mercutio, not Williams, wanted me to see. His death scene was played so well that the audience didn't know whether to cry or cheer.

Additional props (no pun intended) go to Dan Beaulieu for his excellent direction, not to mention a heavy touch of modernization that completely worked, bringing this tragic love story right off the stage and, literally, into the audience. Complete with hand-held communication devices, Matrix-esque choreographed fight scenes, the actors themselves as props, and a host of spirit dancers a la The Seacoast Rep's production of "A Christmas Carol", one easily and quickly became absorbed in the events unfolding over a few tragic days in sixteenth century Verona-on-the-Piscataqua.

Thank you to Seven Stages Shakespeare Company, Prescott Park Arts Festival, and Mother Nature herself for one of the best afternoons I've had all summer.