Romeo & Juliet

Romeo And Juliet (2021) -

I was greatly surprised by this version of the classic Shakespeare play. So many times I have recorded theatrical and cultural performances from the SkyArts channel only to find that the representations or interpretations are done badly or the lead ballet dancer isn't wearing tight enough trousers that show off his amazing thighs, but this National Theatre Live production was a real find. An absolute gem.

It is very cleverly edited and produced with a superb cast and it truly proves that theatre is blind. You would never know that some of the actors with varying accents or origins would not traditionally play their parts, unless you were looking for it or course.

Josh O'Connor gives a fantastic and seductive performance as Romeo. Although not what some would call traditionally handsome, he has a great earnestness about him and his characters always wear their hearts on their sleeves with such ease. Romeo is no exception and he really leads the whole story and production for me. When others were performing I wanted to know what his character was up to and not just because he is so sexy.

And for the most part Jesse Buckley as Juliet is good too, but I didn't feel enraptured by her as I was with Josh and her character drifts off at times.

They work alongside a cast who all excel in their own roles too. Tamsin Greig gives a particularly aggressive and nasty Lady Capulet. There is a darkness to her performance that almost makes me believe that it isn't much of an act. Perhaps she should be careful not to become too typecast as these witchy sorts. I cannot see Imelda Staunton without thinking of Harry Potter's evil Professor Umbridge and it is very difficult to separate Lena Headey from her 'Game Of Thrones' (2011-19) character Cersei Lannister. Maybe they are all just good at what they do, but I wouldn't want to meet any of them down a dark alley, until I got to know them for sure.

The abandoned theatre setting is superb and utilised in such a brilliant way, as the production values grow throughout. I also appreciate the lighting and the colours of the costumes used to appropriately represent the moods and changing environments/occasions. The soundtrack is sympathetic and well chosen too.

There are a few moments that I don't recall from the original story, although it has been a while since actually reading it and most of my recollection comes from Leonardo DiCaprio in Baz Luhrman's version or the cartoon 'Gnomeo & Juliet', but I believe that great theatre is and should be open to interpretation. 'The Mouse Trap' wouldn't still be so celebrated if people weren't asked to conceal "Whodunnit" before leaving their seats after all and some of the best Gilbert & Sullivan productions that I have seen have been an all male cast. I like it when boundaries are pushed.

I will definitely recommend this to my friends, especially those with a taste for culture.

786.32/1000.

A great and stylish modern adaptation of Romeo and Juliet accompanied by "great performances" by Josh O'Connor and Jessie Buckley as the eponymous lovers, particularly Buckley. Stunning visuals and music will make this shot-in-pandemic modern adaptation of R&J even more delightful.

Not entirely a movie, not entirely a stage play, a great mix of both, which gives this version of Romeo and Juliet such uniqueness and freshness. Considering, that the play takes place in the modern world, the characters age shift works perfectly fine. The language is still poetic and old-fashioned, but everything looks natural and alive. Especially I liked the close-ups shots, that makes viewer more involved, as we ourselves are not a distant bystander, but participant of the events. Jessie Buckley and Josh O'Connor give outstanding performances, although these characters were played by many many other actors, they succeed to make their Romeo and Juliet relationship special and memorable. I loved the diversity of the cast and a brief lgbtq+ representation, both of which fully meets modern realities. If you watch it with open heart and mind you will 100% enjoy it. Art is eternal because of the many ways it can be interpreted and remain actual even after a five hundred years. I highly recommend this piece to everyone, who loves Shakespeare, theatre and not afraid of experimentations and interpretations of classics.

The shots in this film embrace not just the essence of a sacred space in the theater but take advantage of the best technology can contribute to intimacy. I couldn't take my eyes off this production for a single moment. It is amazing visually and exceptionally acted by those in every role. Trim and confident in its execution, this production will remain noted and inspirational in many futures to come.

When I heard Jessie Buckley was in Romeo and Juliet I thought maybe she was playing the Nurse or perhaps Lady Capulet. But no, She's cast as the young(?) lover Juliet. I don't think it is possible to improve on Zeffirelli's version as shown in the Luhrmann attempt. Going modern was no excuse to cast Juliet at twice her age. I abandoned watching at that point.