Romeo and Juliet

Not my favourite Shakespeare play and it took my English ear a while to get used to the transatlantic accents but the cast does well. It is well filmed and recorded and the costumes are excellent. The cast are passionate but there was something about Romeo that didn't click with me and I can't figure out what it was. This is a difficult play to act and stage as whilst a tragedy whose ending is given in the opening by chorus, it has very funny moments. This production gets the balance just right. Whoever casts Juliet is on a hiding to nothing. The character is 14 but I cannot think of one actress of that age who could play the part. If you remember how poor the child actors in Harry Potter were, you will know what I mean. Casting Sara Farb works although I really wasn't convinced by her 'innocence'. The nurse is too shrill for my liking but these criticisms aside, the cast works well together and was clearly appreciated by the audience. The actor playing the Friar is excellent and compensates for a too pathetically played Romeo. All in all not a bad production.