The Stage

Juliet and Her Romeo

Published Wednesday 17 March 2010 at 11:15 by Jeremy Brien

“O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?” The unorthodox answer, in this opening production by new Bristol Old Vic artistic director Tom Morris, is in the confines of the Verona care home for the elderly. For the star-crossed lovers are both in their eighties, and the tragic outcome to their unexpected passion is stage-managed by a disapproving daughter and a bullying doctor.

Sian Phillips (Juliet) and Michael Byrne (Romeo) in Juliet and Her Romeo at Theatre Royal, Bristol Photo: Simon Annand

This reversal of Shakespearean happenstance has certainly caused a stir of publicity for the BOV, with one local radio station even dedicating a phone-in to twilight-year romance. But does it work? At the level of new love discovered deep into old age it most certainly does, thanks largely to a spellbinding illustration of how to grow old gracefully by Sian Phillips as a radiant Juliet.

Michael Byrne’s Romeo, in contrast, appears much more surprised at the late blossoming of love, although he, too, finds true passion in banishment. Where the concept grinds at first is in the laddish approach to life in an old folks’ home from Terry Taplin (Benvolio), Dudley Sutton (Mercutio) and Tim Barlow (Tybalt). But once Sutton has delivered the Queen Mab speech quite beautifully, this changes for the better, and there is time also for a sharp stab or two at society’s failure to care for the elderly from Golda Rosheuvel’s Nurse, Abigail Thaw’s Ms Capulet and Pal Aron’s Doctor.

Set all this to a perfect mix of romantic and pop music, and Morris has started his reign in highly promising style.