ROMEO AND JULIET by Carol Kaufman Segal

            When I was first made aware of Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare, being performed with a “fresh twist,” I couldn’t image such an undertaking, nor could I imagine how it could evolve into a worthwhile production.  How could the same plot by Shakespeare be set in pre-World War II, Berlin, featuring Romeo as a German boy, and Juliet as a Jewish girl?  Well, needless to say, I found out how, and was more than enamored with the results of this very fine presentation by the Group Rep at the Lonny Chapman Theatre.

            Romeo (Mike Bingaman) is a Montague and a German Nazi, Juliet is a Capulet (Savannah Schoenecker) from a well-to-do German Jewish family who is against Hitler and his growing regime in the country.  Black and white films of the growing danger that is mounting in the country give a vivid story of what is to come.

            The plot stays as Shakespeare wrote it.  Romeo and Juliet fall in love and he romances her under her balcony (where the Jewish faith of the family is made obvious by the Sabbath candles seen in the window).  Romeo and Juliet decide to visit their friend, Gypsy Lawrence (Mark Atha) who performs a marriage between the two lovers.  Later, there is a run-in between the Montagues (Germans) and the Capulets (Jews) whereby the fight results in Romeo being banished for killing Tybalt (Heston Horwin).   All of the fight scenes in the production are outstandingly realistic (Choreographer Cylan Brown). 

            Juliet never wavers in her love for Romeo while he is away.  However, the Capulets turn against him.  Her mother, Lady Capulet (Belinda Howell), and her father, Capulet (Patrick Burke) demand her to forget Romeo and marry Paris (Ashkhan Aref) and arrange for the marriage.  Nurse Bubby (Janee Hull) tries to console her, but Juliet takes her problem in her own hands and goes to Gypsy Lawrence for help.  He gives her a special potion that feigns death for several days, in order to cancel her wedding day to Paris.  Unfortunately, when Romeo returns to seek out Juliet, he is not aware of Gypsy Lawrence’s potion, and when he comes upon her seemingly dead body, he kills himself.  Upon awakening, Juliet becomes overwrought when she sees Romeo lying dead, draws his dagger from him and ends her life.

            The Capulets gather together for the double funeral, which brings the play to its close as they have obviously been taken prisoners of their enemies (The Nazis).  Yes, it did succeed in its “fresh twist,” of one of the worst happenings in the history of the world.

            Director Shira Dubrovner deserves kudos for a fantastic job directing an extremely talented cast of actors.  The cast is very large, and beside the wonderful performances by those playing the main characters, each of the actors add to the life of the production. 

            Romeo and Juliet plays Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM, Sundays at 2 PM, through October 14, at the Lonny Chapman Theatre, located at 10900 Burbank Blvd., North Hollywood.  Tickets are available online at www.thegrouprep.com, or by phone at (818) 763-5990.

           
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