Romeo & Juliet Press Release

Just thought I'd tell you a bit more about the play. I have recieved the press release and some literature from the director, giving background information on the production and its aims.

Aims of the production:
"Whilst retaining the original text and Early Modern setting, the production will make a dramatic departure from conventional offerings of the play by exploring and focusing on the racial conflict at its centre. Performed by a culturally mixed cast, with it’s central protagonists Romeo and Juliet portrayed respectively as being of Black African and Caucasian parentage, it will have distinct verbal and visual references to Black culture past and present woven into its tapestry and will feature ethnic music and dance coupled with the music and dance of contemporary urban black culture, an emblem for today’s youth."

The idea behind the show:
"Whilst maintaining the tragedy of a love that could not be, the piece will celebrate cultural diversity, paying important homage to the Africans who formed an essential part of Renaissance society and highlighting fundamental issues surrounding the place of race in Renaissance Italy. Our vision for the piece is inspired in part by historical representations and portraits such as that of the Dutch artist Jan Mostaert, Portrait Of An African. The painting depicts a Black African man who appears to be “fully assimilated” into Renaissance society."

"Imaginative parallels will be drawn between Shakespeare’s ill fated teenagers and the youth of today. The alienation and destruction of young lives featured in Romeo and Juliet, resonate at the heart of contemporary society, where there is growing concern for our discontented youth and despair at the many lives tragically lost. It seems that the teenagers of today are becoming increasingly estranged from the older generation, immersing themselves in gang culture, violence, alcoholism and drug taking. The production will place strong emphasis on this tragedy, the repercussions of violence and the destruction that may ensue from a refusal to listen to each other. Language shifts effortlessly through time weaving stories as it goes and our stories of teenage alienation and rebellion bear an uncanny resemblance to Shakespeare’s tale of ill fated youth. Whilst Romeo’s despair initially finds its voice in Petrachan verse, a growing number of today’s youth express their teenage angst in the poetry of Hip Hop. The creative forces of Hip Hop and R and B music and dance, have become the essential urban street code and African, Gospel and Jazz music and dance lie at their roots. These art forms are rich testimonials of joy and pain, powerful expressions of the self and of society, culture and spirituality. The complex rhymes and beats and sophisticated play on words, can be as striking and poignant as Shakespeare’s verse. He is a master of wordplay, using pun and other devices to show that language is not a static or transparent thing, in the same way that some of our greatest modern musical Rap poets are. This production will break new ground in that it will aim to reveal the depth and range of these music and dance forms. By placing them in an Early Modern setting, the production will reveal their versatility and universality, whilst acknowledging their dignity and beauty -The poetry of Hip Hop for example is limitless, able to infuse even iambic pentameter with its distinct and wonderful flavour. It will offer a version of this classic love story that is grounded in reality, subtly conveying the fascinating journey of Black Africans through history."

I was originally sent this info and press release at the very start of the project but I think it describes the feel for the play much better than I would be able to. After reading it I was immediately excited to be on board. I love that they aim to draw parallels between the issues raised in Shakespearean times to those of today, in particular the presence of race and youth culture which apart from the difference in time, the two aren't actually that far estranged from eachother. I am also really interested to see how the music and dance compositions will be incorporated into the play, as urban music and street dance are styles that I am always facinated by and I think a lot of young people can relate to them both in one way or another. The director has already shown me some clips of the casting auditions for dancers, and they look amazing!! Here are some stills of the video clips..