Compelling, thoughtful, moving ...
Calarco won critical acclaim and many awards for this electrifying adaptation of history's most famous star-crossed lovers with the play becoming a huge hit in New York as the "longest-running version of the Bard’s classic love story. Of all Calarco’s plays, Shakespeare’s R&J has been the favourite with audiences in the US and the UK." Now, Hobart audiences have the chance to see this moving story of heartbreak, passion, and discovery.

Five students attend a very strict, religious, all-male boarding school in the 1950s. One night (against all of the rules) the four teenagers are awake after hours and discover a copy of Romeo and Juliet. They all take turns reading the play aloud and to begin with - they make fun of it - but Shakespeare’s words slowly captivate them and they become completely absorbed in its telling. As they read, and the plight of history’s most famous ‘star-crossed lovers’ is revealed, things also start to change for these young students. As with Romeo and Juliet’s impetuous and reckless journey against family and social expectations, something of a revolution is starting to take place for the students: the play is just too exhilarating, too compelling and too irresistible and it no longer matters that they are breaking house rules or that they are at risk of being caught.

Unexpected emotions rise to the surface for the students with feelings of anger, fear, isolation and excitement. The story is so undeniable and sensually awakening it overshadows everything, and as the play progresses, they become completely caught up in this intriguing and troubling tale.

Set against a system which frowns on close friendships and intimacy, R&J contains some homoerotic elements (as was the case in Shakespeare’s time) and with and a cast of four young men playing all of the roles, Shakespeare’s R&J is a story of dangerous love, curiosity, youth and coming-of-age that will keep audiences captivated to the very end.

Suitable for ages 14 years and over.
Run time estimated at two (2) hours including interval.