Mirror
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The
legend unfolds The scene opens to the drunken exploits of three young men (Romeo, Mercutio and Balthasar). The location; a popular haunt of the three, a brothel in Verona. The three fool around with the women they seem to be quite familiar with, highlighting the frequency of their visits, me thinks. The actors not only interact well with each other, but also seem quite at home on stage. It seems nearly an effortless performance by them all, from the word go. This scene moves straight into a typical market scene crowded with people from all walks of life, from commoners to nobles. The hustle and bustle of an everyday market square is brought to life, again by a cast quite comfortable with each other and the play itself. Flower vendors, street urchins and aristocrats share the streets of Verona and live in relative harmony with the exception of two “households”. A sudden clash breaks out between the Capulet and Montague clans and pandemonium breaks out, until peacemaker Benvolio rushes in, and makes a valiant attempt to break up the fight. All to no avail, unfortunately, as Tybalt strides in and refuses to give in. The fight is finally broken up by the entrance of Prince Escalus, who reprimands the heads of the two families for “disrupting the peace”. The reactions, be it subtle or obvious, are well brought out by both the minor and lead roles. This clearly emphasises the attention to detail that has gone into the making of this production. The comic antics of Romeo and his partner in crime, Balthasar is quite entertaining to watch. Their attempts at sobering up fail miserably, much to the annoyance of their sane counterpart, Benvolio. In addition, their endless ranting and numerous escapades are a treat to observe. The ‘ball scene’ was yet another splendid sight, with choreography done by Jerome de Silva, assisted by the two Juliets. The dancers moved in perfect sync with each other, adhering to dance arrangements from the Shakespearean era. The catch however, is once again…the song. Samantha Ferdinand’s rendition of “Tonight Is What It Means To Be Young” sets the mood for the whole scene. As her voice resonates through the hall the dancers do their ‘thing’ with Juliet being the centre of attraction. The realisation of the two lovers falling in love is interspersed very well with the knowledge of their fatal identities. The actors bring out the smitten lovers’ dilemma of finding ideal love on forbidden grounds. The well known ‘balcony scene’ conversation between the ill-fated couple is very carefree and natural, overcoming the physical distance between them. The duet “It’s Your Love” sung by Romeo and Juliet, captures the essence of the moment. The passion between the two are depicted very well, highlighting how aptly the music has been selected. The
long wait is finally over. The moment is here … are you prepared
to live it? Jointly presented by Yes FM and Mobitel (Main Sponsor), with Golden Key as Co-Sponsors and HP&S Advertising (Pvt) Ltd. coming in as the official advertising agency, R&J opens on October 1 and continues till October 10 at the Lionel Wendt theatre at 7.30pm. The official print media sponsors are The Daily Mirror and The Sunday Times. Tickets will be available at the Wendt. R&J
Quiz winners, Mr. K. Rajaguru and Ms. Madhawee Fernando, both of
Katugastota, have not yet contacted The Sunday Times regarding their
win. Please do so as soon as possible. To collect your invitations
please contact Marisa de Silva on 2331276/2328889/2326247. |
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