Romeo and Juliet (National Asian American Theatre Company)
Ends Jun 03 2h 25m
Romeo and Juliet (National Asian American Theatre Company)
76

Romeo and Juliet (National Asian American Theatre Company) NYC Reviews and Tickets

76%
(65 Reviews)
Positive
77%
Mixed
17%
Negative
6%
Members say
Clever, Entertaining, Ambitious, Great acting, Great staging

About the Show

Hansol Jung's modern verse translation of Shakespeare's classic love story.

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Member Reviews (65)

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268 Reviews | 59 Followers
99
Ambitious, Delightful

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

64 Reviews | 27 Followers
99
Humorous, Innovative, Ambitious, Entertaining, Clever

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

550 Reviews | 293 Followers
90
Refreshing, Great staging, Great singing, Great acting, Delightful

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.

495 Reviews | 124 Followers
87
Totally delightful young troupe with comedic chops

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

52 Reviews | 8 Followers
86
Witty and funny, Ingenious, Creative, Clever, High energy

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

242 Reviews | 113 Followers
86
Romantic, Quirky, Great singing, Delightful, Clever

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

777 Reviews | 123 Followers
86
Ambitious, Great staging, Great acting, Clever, Absorbing

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

256 Reviews | 152 Followers
85
Modern, Great staging, Smart directing, Great singing, Delightful

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)

The New York Times
May 15th, 2023

"...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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Theatermania
May 15th, 2023

"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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Lighting & Sound America
May 15th, 2023

“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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Talkin' Broadway
May 14th, 2023

“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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New York Stage Review
May 14th, 2023

“...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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TheaterScene.net
May 20th, 2023

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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Front Row Center
May 15th, 2023

"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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T
May 14th, 2023

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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