On my birthday I went to see Kenneth Branagh's production of Romeo and Juliet, starring Lily James, Richard Madden and Derek Jacobi. Unfortunately, when the play started and the actors walked out, I noticed that the girl in the role of Juliet was not Lily James. She wasn't there. I don't know why, whether it was that she was ill, she doesn't do matinees or another reason, but I was devastated that I wasn't getting to see her. She was the main reason I wanted the tickets in the first place as I'd already seen another version of Romeo and Juliet a couple of summers ago when it was performed in an outdoor theatre. Still, I tried to see past it and enjoy the performance.
Richard Madden and Derek Jacobi stole the show for me. Clay and I love Derek in Vicious, and we're also huge Game of Thrones fans, so we loved seeing Richard too. As Romeo, Richard was perfect. I honestly couldn't pick a better actor for the role. The play had a more modern twist, with it still set in Italy but with a more modern-day edge. I loved the gangster feel of it, which I didn't think I would when I first realised the difference. This whole experience would have just been made that bit more special and spectacular had Lily been there.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I didn't let the fact that the female lead wasn't there dampen my spirits completely. I was fully involved it the plot the whole way though, the most famous lines in the play were delivered beautifully and even though it's a classic tale that almost everyone knows, it felt as if I was watching it for the first time, with anticipation of what might happen next. I guess that's because of that modern edge. But I loved it.
I would rate this take on Shakespeare's classic:
I would have given this five stars (easily) but I was disappointed that Lily James wasn't in it and it played on my mind for most of the show, every time her understudy walked on. I obviously haven't seen Lily in this role but I know she would have been better than the young girl we saw. She wasn't awful, but it wasn't what I expected and it was a tad too stage school for me. To all those have seen or get to see Lily in the role of Juliet, enjoy!
Have you been lucky enough to see Romeo and Juliet yet, or have tickets to see it soon?
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