“Romeo and Juliet.” How could you screw it up with hot young people in the leads?
Reviews are in from last night’s Broadway opening of the Sam Gold production. Yikes. According to didtheylikeit.com, the greatest tragic romance ever told did not go over well.
Of the main reviews, six were positive, seven were mixed, and five were out and out negative. The NY Times reviews, listed as mixed, is actually pretty damning.
The Washington Post: “Unfortunately, the production’s rave-like, nihilistic drive does little to make up for its lack of clarity or a pulse.”
The Times: “If you’re confused — and even a frequent flier might be — you can consult a program insert that visualizes the Montagues and Capulets as a mood board.”
Variety: “Although the production has a heartbeat, it’s missing a heart… When he kills Tybalt in revenge, the moment is empty of real feeling. In the moments after that — when he’s exiled and so must leave his love; when he discovers Juliet is dead; etc. — there is no heartbreak at all. There’s not a wet eye in the house.”
Kit Connor, age 20, and Rachel Zegler, 23, star in the title roles. There are no other names known to anyone over 21, if that. Yet the play — cleverly marketed — is making $1 million a week so far. Will this decidedly ambivalent reaction keep the box office going? We’ll see.
If anyone can explain to me, please do:
