Romeo & Julie - KXT

Romeo & Julie

KXT

Gary Owen’s Romeo & Julie arrives at KXT on Broadway with all the qualities that have made Owen one of the great contemporary playwrights. His writing is always underpinned by deep compassion; the characters are richly detailed, the dialogue eminently actable, and the storytelling constantly surprising. This production, directed with clarity and restraint by Claudia Barrie allows the plays humanity to shine.

A contemporary reimagining of Shakespeare’s tragedy, relocated to working-class Cardiff, the play is a juicy, muscular work for four actors centring on two teenagers divided not by feuding families but by class, ambition and unequal opportunity.  At its centre sit the titular lovers, played by Estelle Davis and Alex Kirwan, both recent WAAPA graduates. Their performances are so individual and finely observed they can genuinely break your heart. There is an openness and emotional precision to both actors that feels rare. Directors: this is your cue – put these artists on your radar! I can’t wait to see what they do next.

Barrie, alongside Christopher Stollery and Linda Nicholls-Gidley, rounds out the supporting roles as parents whose decisions propel the narrative toward its conclusion. And it’s quite a journey. The production wisely trusts the language and performances to do the heavy lifting.

That makes the design challenge an interesting one. Geita Gotoarin’s set leans effectively into working-class grunge, though it never quite achieves the poetic lift the text invites. The hanging fabric framing the stage from either side of the auditorium creates occasional sightline issues for audience members in the back rows. Emily Brayshaw’s costumes are understated but sharply observed, particularly for the two central characters, where they quietly deepen character and status.

The company’s use of Welsh accents - guided by dialect coach Nicholls-Gidley - is a thoughtful layer of craft. While the play could comfortably sit in any number of locations, retaining its Welsh specificity grounds the work culturally and rhythmically in ways that enrich the production.

Recommended.

Review by Kate Gaul

Image by Phil Erbacher