We round up the reviews for Sean Holmes’s wild west inspired take on Shakespeare’s play.
The Guardian: **** “It seems flagrantly to be a crowd-pleasing production with aims to reach a young audience but that mission does not undermine the text or patronise its older audience. And the frontier backdrop fits surprisingly well into Shakespeare’s fractious Verona. The masked ball features period line-dancing, there is tension to the brawls and shootouts, as daggers are drawn from the hip, as well as pistols.”
London Theatre.co.uk: **** “With plenty of energy and comic flair and a highly engaging ensemble cast, this production is fun and fresh take on a classic that everyone knows something about. An excellent start to the summer theatre season.”
The Telegraph: **** “Sean Holmes’s production sets the familiar story in a frontier town in the American West in the late 19th century.”
The Reviews Hub: **** “Against this backdrop of big gestures, the young lovers manage some naturalistic moments. Their relationship is tender, but not particularly intimate. Their morning-after scene, often staged in bed, takes place already almost fully dressed. The catastrophically quick arc of their liaison feels even speedier than usual. There is still space for emotion, but the overwhelming sense is the tragedy of rashness and unthinking haste. It’s probably a more consequent theme for today’s audiences than yet another paeon to undying love.”
West End Best Friend: **** “Director Sean Holmes marshals the cast with great discipline and control, largely without stage furniture, but beautifully engaging the audience in a way that can only be done at the Globe. It is very noticeable as the tragedy unfolds, they become more solemn and quieter. The venue offers a delightful experience glimpsing a little into how Shakespeare’s plays were once presented, and this production offers an accessible and fun, immersive experience that any London tourist should enjoy.”
The Arts Desk: **** “It’s a joyous, flamboyant launch to the Globe’s 2025 summer season, not least for revealing two new stars in the title roles. Grant Olding’s music brings both euphoria and shivering unease to a production that resonantly demonstrates not just the elation but also the courage needed to sustain love in a world where violence constantly begets violence.”
Time Out: *** “Given the double suicide foretold up top, this Romeo and Juliet is remarkably unafraid to have fun. The Western theme is wrung tightly to eke out every last drop of comic potential, from the awkward line dancing at the Capulet ball to a brief appearance of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly theme.”
To book tickets visit: https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/whats-on/romeo-and-juliet/