What: Mercutio Loves Romeo Loves Juliet Loves
Where: Gural Theatre - A.R.T. /New York
502 W. 53rd St.
New York, NY
Who: Recommended for Ages 12 and Up
When: Through November 24, 2024
Mercutio Loves Romeo Loves Juliet Loves is a queer adaptation of Romeo & Juliet. It takes place in a Catholic girls' school where the students are preparing for a production of Romeo & Juliet and involves a love triangle between the girls playing Mercutio, Romeo, and Juliet. Ellie who plays Mercutio is in love with Romeo who is being played by her best friend, Britt. Britt is in love with Amber who plays Juliet. Amber is in love with Ellie.
You feel fully immersed in the story from the moment you enter the theater. The set accurately depicts a high school gym to the point where it might give some people flashbacks to their high school days. It even has the school's logo painted on the floor. The way the logo spills over into the audience really draws the audience into the show even more.
The story is quite engaging and really holds your attention throughout. The writer, Gina Femia wonderfully captures the essence of what it's like to be young and have an unrequited crush. The performers: Leah Nicole Raymond as Mercutio, Stacey Raymond as Britt, and Rocky Vega as Amber, all do an equally great job of channeling adolescence. Not for one minute, do you not believe these are teenage girls. The story is so relatable. Even if you cannot relate to these girls' specific stories, it will probably remind you of that period in your own life between childhood and adulthood.
And that's our view. For more information about Mercutio Love Romeo Loves Juliet Loves or to purchase tickets, visit www.boomerangtheatre.org/shows-tickets/mercutio-loves-romeo-loves-juliet-loves.
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We received complimentary tickets to Romeo & Juliet for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed are our own.
What: Romeo & Juliet
Where: Circle in the Square Theatre
1633 Broadway
New York, NY
Who: Recommended for Ages 13 and Up
When: Through February 16, 2025
Me - The current Broadway production of Romeo and Juliet puts a unique spin on a classic play. In this version, the characters wear modern-day outfits and a couple of times say modern-day phrases. However, the bulk of the script is still spoken in its original Shakespearean language so it’s not necessarily more approachable than the productions that have come before.
Kit Connor and Rachel Zegler are phenomenal in their starring roles as the titular characters. Their acting is amazing and the chemistry between them is strong as well. The rest of the cast is very talented too.
This production incorporates music, although it is not a musical. There is a lot of loud instrumental music played in certain scenes to amp up the tension and the cast sings a couple of songs too. While their voices are great, the music feels like an unnecessary addition to the play.
This version of the play is also highly sexual, with a lot of grinding, and sexual tension between characters who do not typically display it, and even a few kisses between characters who normally would not kiss. There was no clear point to this and it distracted from the plot at times
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On a brighter note, this version incorporated a lot of comedy, particularly in the first act before the plot became more intense. The humor was a nice touch that kept the audience engaged without taking away from the overall tragedy at the heart of the story.
Overall, if you love Romeo and Juliet and want to see it in a slightly more modern context you might really love this new take. If you love the cast, you’ll probably appreciate seeing them take on these iconic roles. However, if you’re unsure if it’s worth your time to see this new take on a classic play, you might be better off saving your money.
Me Too - I'm not generally a fan of Romeo & Juliet, and this production didn't really change my mind about the show. However, the acting was extremely good. I especially enjoyed the performances of Kit Connor and Rachel Zeglar.
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This version was not a typical version of Romeo & Juliet. It was more contemporary except they still used the original text. I didn't have a problem with the changes but I didn't particularly care for them either.
If you liked the show before, you would probably enjoy this production. However, if you don't this production is probably not going to change your mind.
And that's our view. For more about Romeo & Juliet or to purchase tickets, visit romeoandjulietnyc.com
Photo credits:
All Romeo & Juliet production photos by Matthew Murphy + Evan Zimmerman
All Mercutio Loves Romeo Loves Juliet Loves production photos by Isiah Tanenbaum
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