Marlowe Arts Show 2024 Review: ‘A dystopian twist on Shakespeare’s most known love story’

Tirza Sey reflects on an ambitious interpretation of Romeo and Juliet which highlights the undeniable talent of its cast.

Juliet (Sarah Mulgrew) and Romeo (Kitty Ford) onstage

An empty stage. Mist, free-flowing in the air. The 2024 Marlowe’s Arts Show production of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ commences, giving us a raw and gritty retelling of this love story

Kitty Ford and Sarah Mulgrew beautifully depicted the juvenile, young romance of Romeo and Juliet with their first dance at the dinner party. It encapsulated a charming awkwardness, reminding the audience of their youth, and how they are ultimately teenagers attempting to navigate their feelings for each other. Juliet was grounded and self-assured, a refreshing take on the young character. I also found myself rooting for Romeo, with Ford portraying the character’s nuanced innocence - Romeo is but a passionate, scared teenager, motivated by his love for Juliet. 

Visual symbolism was a core feature in this production; replacing swords with powdered paint was unorthodox, yet hugely effective. The fights between the characters were akin to a paintball fight, almost humorous to watch up until the death of the respective character. The dichotomy between this imagery and the aftermath powerfully demonstrated how quickly  ‘taunting’ and bickering can escalate into something sinister, with irreversible consequences.  

“Benhayoun masterly conveys this descent into quasi-madness, metamorphosing into a puppeteer, controlling the limbs of the characters surrounding him.”

Each student displayed actorial strength, but a spotlight must be shone on Imogen Gray, in her role as Lady Capulet. The contrast between her outward public image and her private family interactions demonstrates the duplicity of Lady Capulet's nature. This facade disintegrates during her argument with Juliet in Act 2, with Gray brilliantly embodying carnal hopelessness, maliciousness and barbaric desperation all at once. 

The witty, charismatic Mercutio was brilliantly portrayed by Jacob Benhayoun, with his first monologue being a highlight. What begins as a fanciful recounting of his dreams, gradually turns into an engrossment with his own words. Benhayoun masterly conveys this descent into quasi-madness, metamorphosing into a puppeteer, controlling the limbs of the characters surrounding him. His interactions with Benvolio (Kiko Gomersall) were also endearing to watch, with the latter looking up to his elder with admiration, trying to emulate them. 

Credit must also be given to movement Director, Chi-San Howard, as the use of physicality elevated the production to the next level. This was particularly prominent in the fight scene between Mercutio (Jacob Benhayoun) and Tybalt (Ollie Flowers) which was enthralling to watch. The captivating dynamic between the two actors seeped onto the stage; the nonchalant Mercutio nicely contrasted the quick-tempered, hostile Tybalt. 

The maternal battle between the Nurse (Lizzy Riley) and Lady Capulet had potential, but was, unfortunately, not explored enough. Illustrated by the level of proximity, it was apparent that Juliet felt most comfort from the Nurse, yet the audience was only privy to a few snippets of tense moments where Lady Capulet sought to remind the Nurse of her position. 

“a focus on the raw humanity of the characters, trapped within the confines of such an oppressive society.”

The staging also seemed to be at odds with itself throughout, rendering it almost impossible to decipher what period the play was set in. At first glance, the setting seemed to represent a dystopia, with the white, plastic curtains and gravel sprawled across the floor. The harsh, cold lighting paired with a dull, groaning sound further illustrated this atmosphere, and it drew an impressive parallel to the bleakness of the society. However, this was disrupted with moments of modernity; the use of modern-day shopping bags, coffee cups, and Taylor Swift songs was peculiar. It prevented the audience from truly understanding the severity of the events unfolding in front of them. 

In my interview with Assistant Directors, Gina Stock and Raffeala Fero, both emphasised the team’s aim to strip-back the play in its entirety, with a focus on the raw humanity of the characters, trapped within the confines of such an oppressive society. This was largely a success, but I felt it was overdone. The bareness that the team sought to achieve went too far at times, bringing a slight monotonous feel to the stage. The subject of toxic masculinity was alluded to, and with an absence of Lords, there was a real opportunity for this to be depicted within a matriarchal lens. However, it lacked sufficient exploration, rendering the absence of male authority as a surface-level change. Nonetheless, the undeniable strength of the actors, paired with stunningly colourful visuals, sparked a vivaciousness, illuminating the theatre with their talent and leaving the audience with a wave of emotions. 

Romeo and Juliet is on at the Cambridge Arts Theatre until Saturday the 3rd of February