Movement powers a fresh 'Romeo and Juliet' at A.R.T.

In high school, a beloved, bookish teacher introduced me and the other students in her class to the classics of literature. Though her efforts to spark our interest went unrewarded, I read “The Odyssey,” “The Epic of Gilgamesh,” which I loved, “1984,” and of course, works by William Shakespeare. The language of Shakespeare’s time made the work presented in class overly verbose and obtuse to me, a disinterested teenager.

Recently though, Shakespeare’s words were enlivened in a different way at American Repertory Theater’s production of “Romeo and Juliet,” a visually and physically stunning offering made more relatable through movement, inflection and embodiment, showing now through Oct. 6.

Diane Paulus, A.R.T.’s artistic director, thoughtfully directed the stellar cast through this tragic, cautionary tale of two young lovers caught in the crosshairs of an ancient grudge between their families.

Rudy Pankow is an affecting Romeo and Emilia Suárez is a strong Juliet. Watching the duo onstage, both great actors, was a joy. A number of other performers also make this show exciting and believable: Mercutio, a multi-talented Clay Singer has a knack for accents and physical comedy; Sharon Catherine Brown, is an excellent and doting Nurse; and Terence Archie, a powerful Lord Capulet made, my seatmate gasp at his palpable and cutting rage toward Juliet’s decision to not marry the suitor of his choice.

The production is made even more visually appealing and approachable by the director of movement and choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. The cast really embodied their roles and used their entire bodies to convey emotion. For instance, Mercutio’s sometimes risqué lines were augmented by movement, and at the start of the second act, Juliet’s restlessness can be felt in a scene gorgeously lit by Jen Schriever where Juliet writhes about, almost seeming to cycle through the air with the grace of a ballet dancer.

The creative team worked together to seamlessly move the action from space to space as the story moved forward. The set, designed by Amy Rubin, consisted mostly of wooden structures; one was a wall and window for Juliet’s pondering and clandestine chats with Romeo that doubled as entryways into other spaces, and others were boxes that acted as beds and benches depending on the scene.

Props such as orb-shaped lights carried by cast members illuminated spaces and acted as the sun and moon. Original music composed by Alexandre Dai Castaing, along with the sound of a thumping heartbeat (by sound designer Daniel Lundberg) heard when Romeo and Juliet meet, made for great drama. Even the fight scenes by Thomas Schall were quite good, the violent action between warring family members was well choreographed with audible sounds making the jabs thrown and landed, and fatal wounds rendered seem more authentic.

Costume designer Emilio Sosa’s outfits for the women in the show (and some of the men’s suits) were particularly artful. Juliet’s pink ruffled dress, Lady Capulet’s pleated and flowing suits—spot on for her social strata—and the Nurse’s satin-like skirt the color of a rainstorm stood out.

This romantic tale is Shakespeare’s first tragedy, and his work continues to be staged consistently. Productions like the A.R.T.’s, along with previous offerings from other local theaters such as Actors’ Shakespeare Project’s “King Hedley II” and “The Bomb-itty of Errors,” and The Commonwealth Shakespeare’s super-compelling “Much Ado About Nothing,” have the opportunity to reach other audiences, and perhaps even convert a disinterested teenager.
Whatever the case, the fantastic acting, movement, and work of the entire creative team of A.R.T’s “Romeo and Juliet” helped make Shakespeare’s often too-tragic and too-long fare a lot more fun.

“Romeo and Juliet” is showing through Oct. 6 at the A.R.T.’s Loeb Drama Center.