Romeo and Juliet is based on the play by Shakespeare and is directed by Martin Berry, who is also the creative director and joint chief executive of the Exeter Northcott. The plot follows the story of Romeo and Juliet about two teenagers from different households who hate each other. When Romeo and Juliet meet at a party they both instantly fall in love despite being from two separate households. The show uses Shakespearean script but with a modern twist, and it is set in current times.
Romeo and Juliet was a fantastic show and was visually engaging. The set was big and very detailed, with lots to look at, even though there weren’t many set changes. I thought it was clever how they used the set in creative ways to make it feel bigger and to represent different places. The lighting was also really well done—one of my favourite parts was when a character falls asleep and the lighting shifts from night to day, using just lights and subtle sounds. It helped create an excellent atmosphere. I was surprised that there were some songs throughout the show, as I was expecting it to be just a play with no singing. But the songs were a great addition and made it more interesting and engaging for me. Another clever element of the show was how the fight scenes were staged. They were surprisingly gory and brutal, with the actors using a lot of blood effects throughout. What impressed me was how the blood would often appear out of nowhere, someone would get hit or stabbed, and suddenly there’d be a burst of blood, making it look very realistic. I found myself thinking, ‘This is so creative—I wonder how they pulled it off.’ The effect was executed so smoothly and seamlessly that it added to the intensity of the scenes. It was a brilliant and memorable touch to the show. It wasn’t just during stabbings—cuts and other injuries would also suddenly appear on the actors’ faces, making the scenes more realistic.
The cast was fantastic—every performer was incredibly talented and delivered a strong, engaging performance. They were all young adults, which made their work even more impressive, especially considering that most of the dialogue was in Shakespearean language, which can be challenging to learn and perform. Izzie Harding Perrott played the role of Romeo and delivered an incredibly talented performance. I believe Romeo had the most time on stage, and Izzie made every moment count. She brought lots of energy and humour to the character, and her comedic timing made me—and many others in the audience—laugh throughout the show. Izzie’s performance as Romeo was engaging to watch as Romeo. Izzie was also good at doing slapstick comedy by keeping on banging or falling into things by accident, but each time Izzie did as Romeo, they would always say I’m OK, which made me and others laugh. Madison Grace took on the role of Juliet and was fantastic. I enjoyed seeing the variety in her portrayal as Juliet. At times, she came across as strong-willed and rebellious, while at other moments she was more gentle and innocent. Madison also played the guitar and had an amazing voice, which added even more depth to her performance. Madison and Izzie had fantastic chemistry on stage, and it made their scenes together really enjoyable to watch. They bounced off each other well and their connection felt natural. They brought lots of energy and authenticity to their performances. It was clear they worked well as a team, and that made their moments together even more engaging for the audience.
Many of the actors took on more than one lead role. For example, Imogen Frances played both Lady Capulet (Juliet’s mother) and Benvolio, while Jodie Micciche portrayed the Nurse and Tybalt. They both did an excellent job of bringing completely different characters to life, shifting convincingly between teenage and adult roles. Although I didn’t enjoy the character of Tybalt, I liked the Nurse, who added a lot of humour to the performance. Imogen impressed me with how she could switch from being a strict, authoritative parent to a fun, energetic teenager. Jodie was equally strong and aggressive as Tybalt, but warm and charming as the Nurse. We also had Nuhazet Diaz Cano as Prince and Paris, and Taraash Mehrotra as Mercutio and Friar Laurence. Both were very talented actors. Despite belonging to different households, I found similarities between Mercutio and Paris—both were portrayed as charismatic and confident, with the actors incorporating cool dances and songs that added a fun, energetic touch to their performances. The ensemble in Romeo and Juliet was also amazing and brought so much energy to the stage. Their choreography was fantastic throughout—from fight scenes to dances and everything in between. They did flips, tossed each other to the ground during fights, and moved with so much skill and intensity that it was thrilling to watch. Every member of the ensemble gave it their all; they were full of energy and were incredible dancers. Because the ensemble was so big, it made the whole show feel more alive, exciting, and fun to watch. The ensemble added a lot to the atmosphere and helped bring the story to life in a really powerful way.
While the show was good, two things I wish could have been improved were that more of the dialogue had been in modern English rather than traditional Shakespearean language. I understand and appreciate the authenticity of using the original text, but at times it made the story harder to follow. I also would have liked daggers or something bigger than a knife for fight scenes as, due to this, it meant you didn’t get as much of a sword fight and more fighting in other ways, but I understood why, as it’s set in current times and people don’t use swords nowadays.
Overall, the cast did a wonderful job bringing the characters to life, and the overall experience was impressive and memorable. I enjoyed the show. It was a fantastic production, especially considering it was put on by a small local theatre. The performances were strong, the cast was all energetic and talented and the staging was creative. Romeo and Juliet had a talented cast, a few songs, and some laughs. The show offers something for everyone. If you’re a fan of Shakespeare or looking to experience something unique while supporting the local theatre, I highly recommend checking it out.
4 ⭐️
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https://exeternorthcott.co.uk/
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