I’m a long-time fan of director Ellie Hurt – all the way back to The B Collective days – and was looking forward eagerly to her return to Liverpool Everyman with her contemporary take on Shakespeare, but I left with a heavy heart after this production which whilst showing glimpses of her talent, felt undermined by other factors which were perhaps beyond her control.
With the cast performing minor ensemble roles in the opening brawl scene, primary roles soon come to the fore as Capulet (Joe Alessi) counsels nephew Tybalt (Milo McCarthy) whilst drawing upon the wisdom of Nurse (Ebony Feare) to communicate with daughter Juliet (Alicia Forde), whilst Benvolio (Kelise Gordon-Harrison) and Mercutio (Elliot Broadfoot) seek out their lovesick cousin Romeo (Zoe West), with the Friar (Eithne Browne) adding the magic and mystery to unite the two star-crossed lovers in perpetuity.
I am a great supporter of adaptation and interpretation to help open up great works to a modern and younger audience, but one needs to tread with caution when it involves probably the most famous love story of all time.
Intended to be a fun and playful adaptation of the classic tragedy – and there are humorous elements in the original – its homage to imagined Northern working-class roots were a little too stereotypical for my liking and, as others before it, often confused that with talking loudly and swearing a bit, whilst the gender changes in casting were unexplained and unexplored: the cynic in me would wonder if there was a box-ticking exercise going on.
Sascha Gilmour’s costume and stage design shone brightly and with Hurt’s elegant styling stamped all over the set, it was a joy to watch as an Elizabethan backdrop transformed into an open house from which a balcony leapt when necessary, before transforming to the biophilic Friar’s cell and finally a crypt. Clever use of the cast in blacks to manage the staging comes with a note of caution as whilst we must suspend our belief at these points, it was difficult to shake off the thought of Capulet apparently watching his daughter’s marriage to his sworn enemy’s son.
The added harmony sections perhaps need more vocal work, but I liked the ghostly backdrop of Mercutio and Tybalt at the conclusion combined with the washing away of sins, as well as the earlier apothecary in disguise that some audience members may have missed, all of which speaks volumes for what a talented director can bring to a production.
Cast performances sadly were mixed which does make one question the purpose and role of a casting director. That aside, Alessi was superb, capturing the power, rage, and frustration of Capulet: I could have watched him all night. West served up a suitably earnest Romeo, nothing more, nothing less. Gordon-Harrison’s strong performance carried a real edge, and I wonder whether she would have been better cast as Mercutio with Broadfoot taking on the softer mantle of Benvolio.
Romeo & Juliet performs at Liverpool Everyman through to Saturday 4th October 2025. Further details and booking https://everymanplayhouse.com/event/romeo-juliet/
Reviewer: Mark Davoren
Reviewed: 18th September 2025
North West End UK Rating: