British Black and Asian Shakespeare Performance Database
Romeo and Juliet (1975): Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
PRINCIPAL CAST: Barbara Atkinson (Nurse); Oz Clarke (Tybalt); Pam Ferris (Lady Capulet); David Howey (Mercutio); Malcolm Ranson (Friar John); Di Trevis (Juliet); Peter Turner (Romeo); Nicholas Woodeson (Benvolio).
This production ran from 29 October - 29 November 1975.
"A pubescent Romeo and Juliet at Sheffield Crucible: a Romeo prone to a merry skip and a fluttering of the hands; a gawky Juliet, pert, almost boyish. She's not falling in love, she's looking for adventure - more interested in losing her maidenhead than gaining a husband. He's more of a flower than Paris, a tender thing pricked by love and made effeminate - it's something of a relief when he declares he loves a woman. Their exchange of lovers' vows is conducted with the dignity of schoolkids swapping marbles. The light from yonder window reveals nothing more romantic than a barefoot Juliet sitting cross-legged on the floor licking her finger and doodling in the dust. In other words, director Ian Giles has reached the inevitable conclusion that it's a play about kids...It's also very entertaining. We kick off with some very randy black servants (Alton Kumalo and Jimi Rand), which you may consider an unwelcome piece of stereotyping but no doubt has some literary justification (though I can't imagine what). Mercutio (David Howey) has a flashing wit and a flashing blade, Montague (Robert Bridges) is very fat, and the nurse (Barbara Atkinson) is the funniest of prattlers. Peter Turner last appeared at the Crucible in Equus, which, one is tempted to think, affects his Romeo, and Di Trevis is an almost spotty Juliet. A play for the young at heart." ~ Andrew Veitch, The Guardian, 31 October 1975
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