William Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet” is one of the most profound love stories of our time. Now, a new play infuses the timeless storyline with one of the most important issues of our day: equality.
“R+J Equal Love” is the artistic vision of Los Angeles-based director, Casey Kringlen. Performed by members of an exciting new actors group, Inner Circle Theatre, “R+J Equal Love” playfully challenges society’s concept of equality.
According to Kringlen, audience members can expect a raw, energetic experience from this Shakespeare adaptation. To him, the important point to get across through the play is that “Romeo and Juliet” is less about the individuals and more about the connection between them. “R+J Equal Love” explores that connection and demonstrates that it can be just as powerfully felt between two men or two women.
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Kringlen says the idea came to him after a dream in which he pictured the balcony scene of “Romeo and Juliet” being performed by two men.
“I wanted to see the version that would inspire me to want to love more deeply and more fully,” he said. “I had a dream to see the balcony scene done between two men, and once I saw the balcony scene done between two men, I thought ‘this is a great experiment that might show that the love between these people is identical to the love between a man and a woman, and we can push the envelope and explore it in other ways between two women. … It started as something a little selfish and grew into something a little more provocative and political.”
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“R+J Equal Love” is set in two acts, each under an hour. It will be performed in a venue that is equally as inviting and unique: The Well in downtown Los Angeles. Described as a “high-fashion, industrial space,” The Well offers the play a substantial performance space, but also an intimate one that allows actors to get close to the audience and interact amongst them.
R+J Equal Love debuts this Friday, February 14, at 9 p.m. at The Well, 1006 S. Olive Street, Los Angeles. VIP tickets are available for the Valentine’s Day performance and can be purchased by emailing info@innercircletheatre.com. Additional performances will be held February 15, 16, 20, 21 and 22 at 8 p.m. For tickets on those dates, visit:innercircletheatre.ticketleap.com/equallove/
