“Down and Dirty Romeo and Juliet”

Recommended   Try to imagine, you are at a party and all of a sudden a play breaks out. Not just a play, but a Shakespeare play-“Romeo and Juliet” and you get to vote for the actors who will play the roles. That is the premise of Shattered Globes’ Romeo and Juliet with a twist! This is an unusual production as it has no costuming, no set and no set Ca’st of players. The ensemble has learned many roles and each performance could have a unique cast doing this sparklingly simple production of one of theater’s classic love stories. Depending on the location, audiences could find themselves in a bar, roaming through rooms and hallways in a building or even at the park. When the location is a pub or restaurant, such as I witnessed tonight upstairs at Justin’s on Southport, you will be encouraged to eat and drink and enjoy the vittles of the location ( obviously at menu prices), and in all venues, audience members will get an opportunity to not only vote for the cast, but many will play roles in the production, assisted by the marvelous 14 members of the cast.

Since the venues are very intimate in size, the audience is limited to between 30-50 members and some of the action takes place right at your table. n fact, whatever you have on the table could become a prop during this roughly two hour production. When you arrive, you will get a name tag indicating your being a member of the Capulet or Montague family and during the warm-ups, you will get to learn the  Shakespearean insults and warm up by yelling these at the others ( some of whom may be at your table or very near). This is a fun evening of entertainment and something unique and different. Even if you are not into Shakespeare, you will find yourself captured by these talented actors who are withing inches of you during the majority of the action.

Tonight the cast was made up of a brilliant Juliet played to perfection by Jill and her Romeo was equally strong ( Dan). I was also impressed by the nurse played by Becca and Levi as Mercutio. These are talented people who bring  the audience members into the production with great ease.  I guess the best way to describe this is Something different- something special! A wonderful experience and for many a great introduction into Shakespeare without all the fancy fru-fru. Just solid acting!

“Down and Dirty Romeo and Juliet” des not have a regular run, but so far, they will be at Justin’s 3358 N. Southport on May 29th at 7 p.m.

                                                                                                                              John Hancock Observatory,875 N. Michigan Ave. on May 16th at 7:30 p.m.  

                                                                                                                              Millennium Park,201 E. Randolph on July 17th,24th and 31st ( time TBD)

Tickets for this production are a mere $18, a casual price for casual theater and can be purchased online at www.shatteredglobe.org where you can also find out the additional locations and dates as they are secured. If you are ready for something different, something wonderful in the world of theater, here it is!