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Friday, May 16, 2008
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Romeo and Juliet live and die at Balagan |
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| Romeo and Juliet live and die at Balagan | |
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by Miryam Gordon -
SGN A&E Writer Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare Balagan Theatre Through March 22 It's not often that you can experience both some really excellent acting and some really not-so-good acting in one show. Usually, it's mostly good or mostly fair or sometimes, really pretty good with maybe one guy you just wish was not there. This production of Romeo and Juliet by Balagan Theatre is wildly erratic. Some excellent performances are to be had. Rebecca Davis is excellent as Nurse and combines both the lowbrow Shakespearean humor and the "common man" demeanor into high comedy. Juliet is played by Allison Strickland, who has a real ability to translate large chunks of often staid Shakespearean language into real "girl speak" and is adorable. Solid and engaging performances include Mark Carr as Tybalt and Ryan Higgins as Mercutio and a strange but reasonable turn as a drunken Daddy Capulet by Curtis Eastwood. Banton Foster as Romeo is somewhere in the middle, sometimes finding his emotional center and sometimes losing himself in moroseness and mumbling. Directors Lisa Confehr and Kaitie Warren make a strong attempt to connect with the fun parts, with rousing ensemble merriness (the band of Montagues clowning around) and energetic fight scenes. The costuming by Marta Olson keeps it simple and modern with jeans and platform sandals. The set is very spare, suitable for a kind of "black box" space, and is more a matter of platform heights than any suggestion of "place." I have to assume that I don't need to describe the plot. Balagan, while newer to Seattle's Milky Way of theaters, has already established itself with several well-received shows. This is the first show in their new season and in their newly renovated theater. They seem to have some great ideas about what they want to accomplish, and I look forward to the rest of their season. So, I encourage you and discourage you at the same time. There are some bright lights in this R&J sky, and a few stars that you'd like to wink out. Your discretion will be your guide on this one. For more information, go to www.balagantheatre.org or www.brownpapertickets.com or call 800-838-3006. Comments on reviews go to sgncritic@gmail.com. |
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