Rosaline and Juliet is a dynamic, fresh classic tale of the necessity of girl-friends when it comes to toxic men
Rosaline and Juliet is a comical, joyous play tailoring the importance of friends and family. The story questions what would have happened to Juliet in ‘Romeo and Juliet’ if she had had her dynamic and striking friend (and cousin) Rosaline. Would her fate have been the same? From start to finish the plot is filled with entertaining jokes which have been cleverly constructed.
*Some spoilers ahead*
The writing and direction by Lara Lawman and Lily Roberts is an absolute delight. From the witty weaving of Shakespearean text to the foul-mouthed Rosaline adding a dynamic flare to the performance. The choice of piece to be set in Juliet’s bedroom felt right for the intimate and private discussions the cousins were sharing. But do feel that Juliet’s Nurse would have interjected or been mentioned more than she was as she plays a large part in Juliet’s life in the original play
The performances from both Lara Lawman and Lily Roberts were dazzling. The sharp-tongued and sarcastic delivery of Rosaline counteracting the naivety and closeted Juliet made for a zestful and lively show. The twisting and turning of comedic banter from one minute to heart-aching moments was creative genius. The nod to the classical elements of the story of Romeo and Juliet from the corsets to the moments of both characters reciting famous soliloquies was well-constructed.
Despite this, the ending of Juliet taking the medication provided by the Friar felt quite abrupt. Ultimately, it was understood that the writing aimed to suggest what would have happened to the classic story if Juliet had a girl-friend to chat with. However, with the ending being her taking the tablets it’s unclear how things for Juliet are different at all as the bit we really wanted to know- whether she still committed suicide or not was never really answered.
Overall, Rosaline and Juliet is an absolute delight and a beautiful reminder of the importance of friendship for everyone. The dynamic and fiery portrayal of Rosaline was entertaining. But feel the story’s message would have been further enhanced if the plot ended at a different point of the Shakespearean play. From the 50 minutes of comedic joy, even with Rosaline as a protagonist, nothing is different for innocent Juliet. Although, I would recommend watching this fabulous show!