Streamlined ‘Romeo and Juliet’
dishes standout actors, humor
Theater review
Jacquelyn Lewis
Pulse Editor
The sad tale of Romeo and Juliet
is recounted time and time again on
stages across the country. This fa
miliarity results in a twofold poten
tial: The rendition can be confining
and stale, or the play can offer a
challenging, malleable script over
flowing with endless possibilities.
Lord Leebrick Theatre Company’s
“The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet”
Sunday matinee was an unforget
table example of the latter.
Sunday was serendipitous; actress
Mindy Nirenstein’s illness left the
troupe without the Nurse character.
The scenario was unfortunate for
Nirenstein and could have been dis
astrous for the performance — the
Nurse is an imperative part of the
play. However, director John Schmor
took on the role at the last minute,
seamlessly transforming the comical
female character into a hilarious, ec
centric male.
Schmor appeared in a suit, some
times draped with what appeared to
be pieces of the original Nurse cos
tume, with script in hand. However,
he never even glanced at the pages.
Schmor, an assistant professor in the
University’s theater arts department,
is as talented an actor as he is a direc
tor, and he pulled the role off with
grace and style.
The play, which runs through April
27, has several standout features.
Schmor widdled the script down to
its most significant, dynamic scenes
— resulting in a simple, beautifully
streamlined production. The techni
cal aspects follow this theme; the set
consists of straight-edged platforms
and the costumes are a subtle mix of
modem and period. A lone cello ex
pertly played by Matthew Wilkonso
provides the melancholy soundtrack.
Under Schmor’s direction, the en
tire drama is lighter and more humor
infused than other versions. Romeo
and Juliet appear drunk on first love,
awkward and flirtatious. The balcony
scene, instead of sticky sweet, is satu
rated with youthful angst.
All of this gels into a cohesive whole
largely due to the stellar cast. The
script presents worn, familiar lines, yet
the dialogue is full of tongue twisters
and difficult to voice believably. How
ever, the Lord Leebrick company ac
complishes the task with elan. Each
member stands out in his or her own
way. Gassie Schwanke and Quinn Mat
tfeld portray the pair of star-crossed
lovers with true chemistry; Romeo is
earnest and clumsy, Juliet is quick-wit
ted and dramatic.
Cameron Carlisle plays a petulant
but-tough Tybalt, and new actor
Jasper Patterson is a subdued Benvo
lio. However, Ian Hanley, as Mercu
tio, is the production’s true standout
artist. He portrays a character true to
Shakespeare’s original, both playful
and heartbreakingly sorrowful —
with a modem twist. Mercutio’s
death and absence from the second
half of the play is more tragic than
usual, leaving the audience yearning
to see more of Hanley’s talent.
Highly recommended, Lord Lee
brick’s production of “The Tragedy of
Romeo and Juliet” has the power to
make viewers fall in love with ro
mance again, or simply renew our
faith in good theater.
Lord Leebrick Theatre Company
is located at 540 Chamelton Street,
and times and ticket prices vary. Call
465-1506 to reserve tickets.
Contact the Pulse editor
atjacquelynlewis@dailyemerald.com.
Sugar Beets
continued from page 5
including older songs, crowd-fa
vorites and also new tunes.
Burham added that in spite of
The Sugar Beets’ hiatus, and mem
bers’ busy schedules, there has
been plenty of practice time for
the group.
“Yes, we have been playing, and
yes, we will be hot,” he said.
Contact the Pulse reporter
at aaronshakra@dailyemerald.com.
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