“We talk here in the public haunt of women”, an adaption from a line in Act 3, Scene 1 of the original play, is the tagline of ‘R&J’, and powerfully sets out the dominant role of women in this rendition of Shakespeare’s famous play. The classic story about two young ‘star-crossed’ lovers from two feuding families and their tragic end, called Romola (Georgia Figgis) and Julius (Jack Taylor) in this particular adaption, is given a compelling twist with the gender swapped cast: Acted out in front of a very plain set design, utilising the entire room as a stage, this adaptation reveals the nature of the play in a different and fascinating light.
According to Sami Ibrahim, one of the play’s directors, “you can read whatever you want into the gender reversal, but I think it works nicely because you realise how well these characters work as either male or female – I guess the point is that the gender of each character doesn’t really matter. However, as much as the heart-rending, yet tragic love story at the heart of the plot persists without forfeiting any of its dramatic appeal thanks to the talented cast, swapping the male and female roles grants the play a whole new feel. There is no need for a degree in gender studies or even a thorough knowledge of the original to feel the changes in the dynamic of the play, and the dramatic differences in the ways male and females characters were written become drastically obvious. As we witness the women being loud, aggressive, and cocky in the way they talk to men, whereas the latter are much more gentle and passive, we realise how this role reversal, or rather the feeling of unfamiliarity it evokes, beautifully highlights how femininity and masculinity are indeed constructed social categories that shape our expectations towards men and women – not just in 16th century theatre, but also in contemporary everyday life.
What’s more, female desire, too often neglected or depreciated in classic and modern culture alike, is played out through the male gaze of the original in a refreshing, engaging manner; Romola’s pursuit of Julius is passionate and forceful, peaking in the famous balcony scene with an unapologetic vigour and energy arising from Romola’s performance that we can only hope to find in more female characters on screen, stage and in literature in the future.
It is, however, curious to observe the body language of the two protagonists: As they embrace for a kiss, Julius puts his arms around Romola’s waist whereas she holds his head. Whether this was an unconscious reaction or part of the script, this preservation of somewhat traditional gendered body language added an interesting layer to the performance.
Here’s to more innovative challenging of gender norms!
FIVE STARS
