Shakespeare in the Seventies at the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company

   

 Shakespeare has been adapted in film, literature, and its references still make their way into media as we know it. I was fortunate enough to go see a production of Romeo and Juliet with my upper-level Shakespeare class at the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company. 

    The production was adapted for the 70's, specifically 1975. Through costumes, added disco breaks, periodic news broadcasts from the 70s in between scenes, as well as subtle references to the tensions of the 70's, racial divides, and civil rights movements, Romeo and Juliet becomes a play that is more than a simple love story. 

    The feud between families that audiences have grown accustomed to is heightened by making Romeo's father the chief of police, and Juliet's family a group of black activists. Some 70's lingo was peppered throughout, and while it did seem to contrast Shakespeare's writing, the cast truly trusted all of the language that was there and got to know the lines in a way that allowed every emotion to be conveyed. 

    What was most impressive about this production was that it was able to seamlessly translate Shakespeare into the time period. This not only speaks to the versatile nature of Shakespeare, but I felt that you could truly see the thought behind every little detail. Details such as costumes being brighter colors for the Capulets and darker for the Montagues. Or small additions to the script such as adding in lingo referencing the Black Panther activists or references to Vietnam. Costumes also included police uniforms with the letters V.P.D., for 'Verona Police Department'. Small creative details such as this added more life to the play. The characters' chemistry- not just Romeo's and Juliet's- but all of the cast created an environment that felt lived-in on the small stage. The audience was captivated for the entirety of the show. And even through Romeo and Juliet has become so well-known that you know what happens at the end, it was still moving, like seeing it play out for the first time. 

    To see Shakespeare performed is one thing, but to see it performed by people that truly understand the characters and are able to give them life in a way that was both true to the original and true to the world they built in the reimagined version. 

    Although we could not take photos, the play was somehow cinematic visually. Many of the scenes felt like they were played out like a movie rather than a staged play. There was one specific instance where fake blood was being used. One of the characters dipped his hand in it. While using his flashlight, the blood was illuminated dripping from his hand. It seemed like something out of a movie. And the cast did a wonderful job of utilizing their sparse props in a way that felt meaningful. Every move had intention and didn't feel empty. This was especially true in the stage fighting choreography. It felt very realistic and yet was easily understood. It did not get muddied in the movements. The stage fighting had purpose and was not used for the sake of drama. It made the rest of the events after the various fights more meaningful and the interactions held more weight. 

    The cast worked well because so many different personalities were able to blend. Characters such as the charming Romeo and then paired with the wise yet sassy and bold 'Nurse' reimagined as Juliet's Auntie. Scenes with Balthazar reimagined as a police officer, who adds some comedic relief and heart in the short scenes he's in. Benvolio shined as a crowd favorite, as they all cheered and interacted with his clever quips and lamented when he died. The play did an excellent job of allowing all of these personalities to blend and share the others at the same time. 

    Getting to see Shakespeare performed allows the words to have their own life and the characters to have their own unique personalities. Watching the actors offered a variety of character types, all of which were different and yet blended together to craft the story. 

    I wanted to include these words from the director that were included in the program. It was fascinating to see how he reimagined it and also aligned the tensions of 1975 America with the tensions of 2024.