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2 reviews in English

  • Review from Susan W.

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    • 59 reviews

    Pioneer Valley

    5.0 star rating
    Updated - 8/16/2011

    i took my 10-year-old granddaughter to see her first play today: Romeo and Juliet at Shakespeare and Company.  We were accompanied by my daughter who regularly ushered with me at American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge.

    We were thrilled with this production.  

    A confession:  I never liked the play . . . until today.  It was the first Shakespearean play I read, sneaking a copy behind my grammar book while a student at St.  Martha's School.  I've taught it to high school students and I saw the Zeffirelli film.  Until today, I had not seen a live production.

    I came away with a different slant on . . . and appreciation for . . . this 500 year old work.

    What was apparent was the emphasis on love and hate as life-changing emotions and not on the titillating teenaged sex thing that has burdened the play and made it less than teachable.

    This production also brings out a subtext which deals with literacy and communication.  Frankly, without being political, it called to mind the political rancor that is troubling this nation at the present time.  

    Here, hate was fueled by an inability and a refusal to listen.

    This production features what I have come to recognize as some Shakespeare & Company hallmarks: the seamless incorporation of music (Will would love it);  the placement of the acting company on the stage at the beginning of the play, as well as the athleticism of the cast as they utilize the entire building to make the drama live.

    The performances were brilliant.  Susannah Millonzi was amazing as Juliet.  The chemistry between Susannah and her Romeo, played by David Gelles, was strong.  The staging of the balcony scene -- without using the readily available balcony -- was creative and allowed the audience to focus on the faces and voices of the two leads as they rendered the so familiar words.

    Tod Randolph was perfect as the nurse while Kevin O'Donnell nearly stole the show as Mercutio.

    While there was no particular setting or theme other than in a universal past, the beautiful Jazz Age white-beige-gold costumes gave life to the prologue's "two families, alike in dignity" and presented the Capulets and the Montagues on a level playing field.  When the company resorted to Renaissance dress for the Capulets' party, it seemed a natural change from street to ballroom clothes.

    The Shaker set decoration allowed for easy changes of scene and yet signaled the definite locations of the play's progress.

    The sword fights were thrilling.  I ducked several times but my granddaughter pooh-poohed the idea.  "They weren't pointed at me," she said.

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    • 5.0 star rating
      7/4/2011

      I love live theatre.  Nothing is more exciting than watching live actors do their thing,… Read more »

  • Review from Jeffrey H.

    Photo of Jeffrey H.

    Washington, DC

    5.0 star rating
    3/19/2008 7 photos

    Something wicked this way comes--and it's not just my 300th review. And by wicked, I mean fantastic.

    Shakespeare & Company of Lenox, Massachusetts is by far the most amazing theatre company I have ever watched and had the honor of working with. Located out in the Berkshires, they have built a small campus of buildings and performance spaces where they not only perform some of the greatest acts, but also teach and inspire.

    They are a team of well over a hundred actors, directors, producers, and more, ranging from children to adults who have a passion for performing the great works of Shakespeare. Their performances travel across the country but most are found right in their Lenox home. They also establish residences at schools where they'll direct student acted shows. They came to my high school all four years in North Andover and it was truly amazing. The Shakespeare & Company lead performances were always the most exciting and most desired portion of the theatre season at my high school. Call us losers, drama geeks, or whatever else you see fit. But to have a group of adolescents excited to learn and recreate Shakespeare--well I think that's pretty amazing.

    S & Co also hosts seasonal festivals where not only do they perform shows, but they invite the high schools that they've worked with to all travel to Lenox and perform their shows for each other. Their Lenox campus is gorgeous and conveniently located near downtown shops and hotels. They are even in the process of working with international architects, historians, etc to recreate the world's first accurate replication of Shakespeare's Rose Playhouse.

    If you travel to the Berkshires, I insist you check their website and see what is going on during your visit. You will NOT be disappointed. And if you work in the education industry, I'd look into hosting this company at your institution--it's an experience your students will appreciate for a lifetime.

    And to end this review, I'll leave you with one of my favorite lines that I learned during my freshman year when we performed, "Much Ado About Nothing."

    Beatrice: I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me.

    God, how gay was I!?

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