What I liked
The Coachella vibes in this production was played extremely well, and it was fun seeing the aesthetics of the Montagues (grungy, punk) vs the Capulets (pop, bohemian) in costume and stage business. Oh, and those fight scenes! Bless whoever’s idea it was to use the butterfly knife, Mercutio was absolutely killing it! Tybalt grabbing Mercutio by the hair and dragging him across the stage felt visceral— extremely well done choreography. Also the choice of using a bit of “Work Song” by Hozier did not go unnoticed, great pick.
What I didn't like
I viewed this version of the production on opening night, the only main thing I could think of was the rugs sliding around—a thing that I’m sure was fixed for later shows. A minor thing I wish was maybe the background changing depending on the time of day, maybe?
My overall impression
A very well-done production of a modernized, music festival version of Romeo and Juliet whose actors and actresses felt, understood and embodied the original Shakespeare. Romeo and Juliet themselves felt incredibly sincere and Mercutio was, in a word, Gender.
