‘ROMEO + JULIET’: Rachel Zegler & Kit Connor. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

ROMEO + JULIET
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Sam Gold
Circle in the Square Theatre
235 West 50^th Street
https://romeoandjulietnyc.com/

By Scott Harrah

William Shakespeare’s classics are often revived with modern-day costumes and endless gimmicks to help bring in new, younger audiences. Sam Gold has previously directed two “reinvented” productions of the Bard’s classics, Macbeth and King Lear (which starred the late Glenda Jackson in a gender-bending role as King Lear). Mr. Gold has been more successful putting a contemporary spin on other classics, namely his outstanding revival of Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People earlier this season (which also played at Circle in the Square).

Back in 2013, David Leveaux directed a dismal revival of Romeo and Juliet, starring the miscast Orlando Bloom and Condola Rashad in which Romeo rode onto the stage on a motorcycle and Juliet delivered the iconic “Romeo, Oh Romeo” soliloquy by rote in American vernacular. This revival of Shakespeare’s popular classic about ill-fated lovers is a far superior production, but that would not be hard.

Mr. Gold’s interpretation of the story of the Capulets vs. the Montagues in Verona, Italy in the 14^th century (or later—scholars cannot seem to agree on the time period) is “modern” in the broadest sense. The circular theatre-in-the-round setting is used as a vehicle for all the madness happening on stage and off. We see overhead catwalks and a bed that goes up and down. Towers of teddy bears are seen on stage (don’t ask) and actors climb up on ladders to shout out their lines.

Need a brief plot summary? Shakespeare himself said it best in the prologue: ”Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona, where we lay our scene, from ancient grudge break to new mutiny, where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes a pair of star-crossed lovers take their life.”

Despite the insanity in this production—from the cast dancing provocatively before the show to Enver Chakartash’s outrageous costumes—fortunately there are two solid actors playing the lead roles. Kit Connor (who played the older Elton John in the 2019 biopic Rocket Man) is the perfect teenage heartthrob as Romeo. Although Romeo + Juliet is not a musical, this production inserts short songs throughout the show, with music by Jack Antonoff and movement direction and choreography by Sonya Tayeh. Mr. Connor has a nice voice and the dynamic stage presence necessary to pull off the character.

Rachel Zegler, best known for playing Maria in the Steven Spielberg remake of West Side Story, is one of the show’s standouts. She adds the right mix of vulnerability and determination in her performance. When she sings, Ms. Zegler almost looks and sounds like a younger version of Ariana Grande. She has all the passion, spark and yearning of a young girl who is deliriously in love for the first time.

The other noteworthy performance is given by the marvelous Gabby Beans (Tony nominee for the Lincoln Center revival of The Skin of Our Teeth). She brilliantly portrays three characters: the wisecracking Mercutio (Romeo’s best friend), Romeo’s advisor the Friar and Prince Escalus, who tries unsuccessfully to make peace between the Montagues and Capulets.

Not everything works in this revamped version of the doomed young lovers of Verona. Modernized versions of Shakespeare have become standard fare on Broadway the past few years, and Sam Gold’s Romeo + Juliet is hardly as offensive or a “bastardization” like other 21^st century versions we have seen the past decade. Still, it would be great to someday soon see Shakespeare’s works done the way they were intended to be performed: In period costumes, without gimmicks and in all the original Elizabethan era glory. It was only 11 years ago in 2013 that two amazing British productions of Twelfth Night and Richard III were done in repertory, starring the legendary Mark Rylance and Stephen Fry. What made those two productions so enjoyable was their authenticity in recapturing the mood of that era. When performed in original period costumes, with musicians playing Elizabethan tunes, Shakespeare is much more palatable to modern audiences. With all the characters in his plays and endless subplots, Shakespeare makes for difficult reading, but when his plays are performed as the Bard intended, they are easy to follow and truly delightful. Mr. Gold’s Romeo + Juliet might be bringing in the Gen Z audience, but hopefully in future seasons Broadway will mount a few traditional Shakespeare revivals so the younger generation can judge for themselves whether they prefer a modernized Bard or plays performed in a more conventional manner.

Published October 24, 2024
Reviewed at October 19, 2024 press performance

‘ROMEO + JULIET’: Rachel Zegler & Kit Connor. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘ROMEO + JULIET’: Gabby Beans. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘ROMEO + JULIET’: Rachel Zegler & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘ROMEO + JULIET’: Kit Connor, Rachel Zegler & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘ROMEO + JULIET’: Rachel Zegler & Kit Connor. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

The post ‘Romeo + Juliet’: Latest spin on classic appeared first on StageZine.

‘MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL’: Karen Olivo & Aaron Tveit. Photo: Matthew Murphy

MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL
Book by John Logan
Based on the 2001 Twentieth Century Fox film Moulin Rouge!
written by Baz Luhrmann & Craig Pierce & directed by Baz Luhrmann
Music supervision, orchestrations, arrangements & additional lyrics by Justin Levine
Choreography by Sonya Tayeh
Directed by Alex Timbers
Al Hirschfeld Theatre
302 W. 45th Street
877-807-9130, https://moulinrougemusical.com/

By Scott Harrah

Baz Luhrmann’s iconic 2001 film Moulin Rouge! was perhaps the first “jukebox musical” of its kind for Hollywood, released the same year as the ultimate jukebox phenomenon Mamma Mia! on Broadway. In this brilliant stage adaptation, book writer John Logan and director Alex Timbers keep the same storyline but have added many new songs. Set designer Derek McLane has turned the Al Hirschfeld Theatre into a gorgeous replica of the legendary Montmartre nightclub in Paris, complete with a red windmill and glitter galore, like a brothel on steroids.  Moulin Rouge! The Musical “can, can, can” and will give mega-shows like Hamilton and Book of Mormon some stiff competition as far as having hard-to-get, expensive tickets, and the show has already broken box-office records since previews began earlier this summer.

Baz Luhrmann’s brilliantly busy film was always more about style than substance, so if the show’s narrative seems paper-thin and hollow, it’s only because this adaptation is staying true to the film. However, to really enjoy the musical, forget about Nicole Kidman’s Satine, Ewan McGregor’s Christian and John Leguizamo’s Toulouse-Lautrec because the geniuses behind this glorious stage version have completely recalibrated and retooled this reboot for a 2019 audience. Everything about the show is interactive and decadent from the moment one steps inside the Hirschfeld, with men and women sporting corsets and high heels bumping and grinding on stage before the show even begins. The show starts with a proverbial bang, with four sassy ladies belting out “Lady Marmalade,” the cover of the LaBelle song that Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, Pink and Mya and Missy Elliot took to the top of the pop charts when the film opened 18 years ago.

Here, we have the golden-voiced Tony winner Karen Olivo as Satine, and her interpretation of the aging Parisian cabaret courtesan is much darker and less glamorous than Ms. Kidman’s but is equally heartbreaking.  When she descends upon the stage from a swing that comes down from the ceiling, belting Shirley Bassey’s “Diamonds Are Forever,” amped up by powerful mikes, it’s as thrilling as seeing Beyoncé, Madonna or any pop superstar making a grand concert entrance. Ms. Olivo’s lush vocals are one of the musical’s greatest assets. Aaron Tveit—who has come a long way indeed since Catch Me If You Can more than a decade ago—is great as the idealistic, broke young songwriter Christian, yet both he and Ms. Olivo do not have a lot of chemistry together, but somehow they make it work. Come to Moulin Rouge! The Musical for the “wow” factor of the music, Sonya Tayeh’s dazzling choreography and all the eye-popping spectacle, but just like the movie, don’t expect great drama.

The story revolves around how Harold Zidler (the delightful Danny Burstein), the quirky owner of Moulin Rouge, is facing financial ruin with the club in 1899. The only hope of saving the business is the smarmy Duke of Monroth (Tam Matu), who has plenty of cash to invest but demands the affections of Satine in return. This is a problem because Christian falls madly in love with her, so she must choose between him and the villainous duke.

Much of the fun experiencing Moulin Rouge! The Musical, besides Catherine Zuber’s splendid costumes, is hearing all the song snippets from recent hits like Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” and Rihanna’s “Only Girl (In the World),” to name a few.  Some of the movie’s few original songs remain, most notably “Come What May,” Christian and Satine’s haunting love ballad, but it is truly a shame that Satine’s solo number, “One Day I’ll Fly Away,” was cut as that song was a show-stopper for Nicole Kidman in the film.

In addition, too many newer songs have been added to mention, but the opener in Act II, Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance,” contains one of the most thrilling pieces of sexy choreography you have seen in a long time.

Other iconic parts of the film, like Australian pop star Kylie Minogue as the “Green Fairy” trilling “The Sound of Music,” could not be included for obvious technical reasons. However, Ms. Olivo does a great job doubling as the little fairy (here, she descends from the ceiling in one number) when Christian decides to drown his sorrows in the trippy alcoholic concoction absinthe.

Some of the supporting cast members are not as powerful as others. For example, Sahr Ngaujah (Fela!) seems too strong and able-bodied as Toulouse-Lautrec, the physically challenged painter whose portrayal by John Leguizamo was far superior in the film. However, it would be petty to quibble about the minor shortcomings of this stage adaptation because, thanks to the precise direction of Alex Timbers and his crackerjack team, Moulin Rouge! The Musical is a pop-culture pastiche, and a colorful, energetic, endlessly creative ride from beginning to end. It will certainly enjoy a well-deserved long, vibrant run on Broadway.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published August 1, 2019
Reviewed at July 31, 2019 press performance.

‘MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL’: Tam Matu. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL’: The company. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL’: Ricky Rojas & Robyn Hurder. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL’: (left to right) Sahr Ngaujah, Aaron Tveit & Ricky Rojas. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL’: Karen Olivo & Tam Matu. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL’: (left to right) Jacqueline B. Arnold, Robyn Hurder, Holly James & Jeigh Madjus. Photo: Matthew Murphy

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