Romeo and Juliet (National Asian American Theatre Company) NYC Reviews and Tickets
Member Reviews (65)
See it if You value creativity, excellent acting and direction. I was in tears, it was so good.
Don't see it if You cannot bear the thought of an artist recreating a classic, even if it comes out better than the original. Read more
See it if want to see a new interpretation of R&J, support AAPI artists, enjoying a different version that is still very true to the text
Don't see it if You want what we consider today to be a “classic” Shakespeare interpretation. If uncomfortable with heavy sexual innuendos
See it if Enjoyable, powerful & very creative production of this classic, blended with a 2023 feel. Kudos to the entire cast. Beautiful singing.
Don't see it if Some theater goers may prefer the traditional production.
See it if Gorgeous Asian-American actors with high-energy talent play the Bard on steroids. Clever, amusing, satisfying. Thrilling fight scenes
Don't see it if This is great introductory Shakespeare -- it is so enjoyable and accessible. But it may be a bit raunchy at times for children. We loved it
See it if Fresh and innovative takes on a classic storyline are experiences you are open to. This play is creative, entertaining, and cast is talented
Don't see it if you prefer classic plays to be told in their original serious tone format with no room for ingenuity or modern day references to be included
See it if Even if you think you know your R&J. The adaptation is new, by Hansol Jung, and allows for a lot of humor and emotion to shine.
Don't see it if If you’re a stick in the mud who doesn’t want R&J to be the comedy it starts out as. If you get annoyed by music added into plays. Read more
See it if you want to see a very creative and clever interpretation of Shakespeare's love story. The acting was very good, the staging was creative.
Don't see it if you only like a traditional version of the play. There is some change in the words, some are even sung and the setting is not traditional. Read more
See it if “Peter/Lady Capulet” is played by a brilliant actor, with smart choices, got the most laughter; multi-talented ensemble, clever with music;
Don't see it if 3hrs was bit too long; some words’ meaning lost in quick rap; Romeo is lovely, but Juliet is lack of real joy, both are great musicians tho Read more
Critic Reviews (9)
"...this is a sportive, vividly acted production that fails to make a convincing case for its many directorial flights and vernacular interventions. Jung and Wills have thrown much spaghetti at the 'Romeo and Juliet' wall. The result is a lot of noodling around."
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"The result is tonal whiplash from a 'Romeo and Juliet' that cannot decide whether it is a comedy or a tragedy. If we in the audience must choose, so must the creatives."
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“This new take on Romeo and Juliet immediately draws a line between Elizabethan and contemporary language, but it is a muddled and constantly shifting one…I guess if Shakespeare survived Colley Cibber and Rockabye Hamlet, this, too, shall pass. Still, there's something pointless about the effort; I much prefer wholesale reimaginations like Seize the King, Will Power's muscular retelling of Richard III, to the sort of filigree practiced here. More perplexing is the staging…a wayward collection of devices that never coalesces into a coherent point of view.”
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“In this version, which boasts a modern verse translation by Hansol Jung, I found myself longing for tragic relief so as to at least periodically feel some empathy for the star-crossed lovers. Alas, those moments are often undercut by more fooling.”
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“...Jung and Willis insert ominous touches from the start, but let the tragic developments unfold in a way that can make their sting feel, in this case, surprisingly fresh.”
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In addition to making the language truly accessible with a mix of the Shakespeare speeches we’ve come to know and love and modern verse that doesn’t take much away from the traditional experience of the vast language of Shakespeare, we are immersed in the space from the very moment we enter the theatre. We are asked to take sides…literally. A coat hanger with a makeshift sign that says “Pick Side” greets you at the entrance. Are you a Montague or are you a Capulet? The stage is a wooden circle with the audience sitting on either side.
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"Jung’s version opens as a comedy, with the audience laughing at every line, knowing the sad outcome of the tale as the play begins...Jung’s interpretation doesn’t challenge the work of Shakespeare’s classic, but enhances it by bringing her version to a new audience, and the final standing ovation was proof of her success."
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This anything-goes attitude pervades the production, most of it making little sense, and stirring the audience to laugh—and me to groan—at one lowest common denominator lazzi after the other. This is the kind of wink-wink Shakespeare, for example, where it’s considered hilarious to have the actors simulate masturbation no matter how flimsy the pretext. You can imagine the thrill the directors felt when the word “prick” raised its head in the text.
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