Over a weekend eight male high school cadets are left
behind when the rest of the McKinley Military Academy go away on an Exercise
and they are ordered to carry on with their studies regardless. In the English
Literature Class they are studying ‘Romeo and Juliet‘ and the two young men
reading the leads begin to take it all very seriously and live their roles as
the star-crossed lovers for real.
behind when the rest of the McKinley Military Academy go away on an Exercise
and they are ordered to carry on with their studies regardless. In the English
Literature Class they are studying ‘Romeo and Juliet‘ and the two young men
reading the leads begin to take it all very seriously and live their roles as
the star-crossed lovers for real.
Rather than the city of Verona, the setting is the
hallway, gym and dorms of the School, and whilst the script is punctuated with
occasional references to their daily routine, it sticks faithfully to
Shakespeare’s glorious text. It transforms the piece into a modern-day gay
tragedy.
hallway, gym and dorms of the School, and whilst the script is punctuated with
occasional references to their daily routine, it sticks faithfully to
Shakespeare’s glorious text. It transforms the piece into a modern-day gay
tragedy.
This totally enchanting production by writer/director Alan Brown of shirtless
teenagers falling in love with each other and spouting this magical prose is a
real breath of fresh air. The energy and exuberance of the talented young cast oozes
through, and what they may occasionally lack in technique certain more
than compensates with such enthusiasm which makes all of their performances so very watchable
… esp. Hale Appleman as Mercutio.
teenagers falling in love with each other and spouting this magical prose is a
real breath of fresh air. The energy and exuberance of the talented young cast oozes
through, and what they may occasionally lack in technique certain more
than compensates with such enthusiasm which makes all of their performances so very watchable
… esp. Hale Appleman as Mercutio.
This is not one for Shakespearian purists (not me!)
but if you ever had the same good fortune of ever catching Joe Calcaro’s play ‘Shakespeare’s
R & J’ (which I was lucky enough to
see Off Broadway in the late 1990’s) which served as the inspiration, then you
will love this one.
but if you ever had the same good fortune of ever catching Joe Calcaro’s play ‘Shakespeare’s
R & J’ (which I was lucky enough to
see Off Broadway in the late 1990’s) which served as the inspiration, then you
will love this one.
A refreshing wee gem of a movie.
★★★★★★★★★
