Romeo and Juliet – Stratford East

This is how you do a modern retelling of a Shakespeare classic. In partnership with Sadler’s Wells, Stratford East have crafted a unique, vibrant, and exceptionally effective production that breathes new life into the timeless tragedy.

Set against the East London skyline, realised through a relatively simple yet superb set, this adaptation uses music and dance to ground its events in a contemporary, familiar setting. As a result, everything felt fresh, bold and original. Despite the language, and the fame of the story, it almost felt like I was watching a brand-new play. Not a mean feat! The dances ranged from crackling whole-company numbers to gorgeous and evocative routines performed by Praeploy Pam Tomuan and Louis Donovan, who represented the inner emotional states of Juliet and Romeo respectively.

Even beyond the fabulous dances, Romeo and Juliet is visually striking. A wonderful harmony of strong direction, an appropriately atmospheric sound design, and imaginative lighting allowed for the creation of some of the most beautiful ‘shots’ I’ve ever seen on stage. The balcony scene, always an important moment to get right, was a particular highlight. Perhaps my favourite sequence of the play came during Romeo and Juliet’s wedding, when directors Emily Ling Williams and Malik Nashad Sharpe made use of their style of visual story-telling to devise a ‘what could have been’ sequence, which heartbreakingly demonstrated how differently things could have turned out if Montague and Capulet had simply buried their grievances at the play’s beginning.

The cast are incredibly strong cast throughout, with too many brilliant performances to name. But I must of course mention our leads. Romeo, let’s be honest, has never been the most interesting and emotionally complex of Shakespeare’s male leads, but Dhruv Bhudia brings an earnest, understated sincerity to the role which allows you to connect deeply with his emotional journey. I was particularly impressed by his ability to hold this calm charisma in scenes with the bombastic Montagues. But, when the tragedies mount, and Romeo’s usual demeanour shattered, Bhudia channels an intense, animalistic ferocity. Shakira Paulas, by contrast, brings a youthful energy, even exuberance, to Juliet. It was a wonderfully multifaceted performance, with Paulas moving seamlessly through the many stages of Juliet’s journey. She is humorous when defying her mother, giddy and loveable when falling for Romeo, and devastating in her grief.

Romeo and Juliet are so famous as the star-crossed lovers, it’s easy to forget how young they are when they start their doomed romance (though they have been aged up to 18 here). But this production, both through its setting in contemporary East London and its lead’s performances, really reminds you of that fact and, consequently, the ending felt even more heartbreakingly tragic than usual. On that, I would also like to mention Michael Grady-Hall’s Brother Laurence, who’s recount of events at the end of the play had me on the verge of tears. His performance was remarkable.

Ultimately, this is simply a production that fires on all cylinders and, while I sadly can’t discuss everything in this review, I want to end by congratulating each and every person involved in bringing Romeo and Juliet to life. You’ve made something special.

Reviewer: Ben Pearson

Reviewed: 7^th August 2025

North West End UK Rating: