(Production photo by Joan Marcus.)

By Tim Leininger

NEW YORK — The works of William Shakespeare have seen many incarnations, interpretations, and conceptions, some with significant changes that wind up working, and others that fall flat. Other times, there are some real strong choices that help elevate the Bard, while other choices leave you scratching your head as to why something is done. I felt a it of all of this leaving the Delacorte Theater in Central Park after seeing The Public’s Shakespeare in the Park production of Romeo & Juliet, directed by Saheem Ali, choreographed by Mayte Matalio, with Spanish translations by Alfredo Michel Modenessi, running through June 28.

            Ali has moved the star-crossed tragedy from 15^th century Verona to a modern-day border town in Mexico. This isn’t the first Romeo & Juliet I’ve seen do a Mexican setting. Hartford Stage did a production set in 19^th century Mexico a year ago. The Public’s version could have worked in this setting, except for the border wall theming, which, though it got rightful cheers from the audience for its anti-ICE messaging, didn’t sit narratively. What Ali has done is make the Capulets MAGA sympathizers, a sort of nouveau Vichy family serving against the best interests of their fellow Mexicans. Meanwhile, the Montagues are portrayed as rebels against the wall and ICE. This defeats the narrative provided by Shakespeare where we’re supposed to have “two households, both alike in dignity.” If one is politically aligned against most of the audience, then both houses are not equally at fault for the conflict as the text indicates. It makes the Capulets the greater antagonist, which shouldn’t be the intent.

(Production photo by Joan Marcus.)

            What does work with the move to Mexico is Modenessi’s Spanish translations of the text amplifying the romantic dialogue. The use of Spanish is selective. Since it is a romantic language, it is primarily used during the romantic exchanges between Romeo and Juliet. I love it. I don’t speak a lick of Spanish, but the nature of the language evokes lush expressions of passion.

            Though Romeo & Juliet is a love story, it is also a violent story, as the two lovers’ families fight with each other. Ali has minimized the violence in this production, in part due to that the production is a modern interpretation where guns are the weapon of choice in lieu of swords. The fights are fast and the deaths immediate, losing the fight choreography that usually comes from sword fights. This, I don’t mind. Guns are what they are, and it’s appropriate for the setting. The final fight between Romeo and Paris is excised from the production, which is common, but something I always miss. The ending is also slightly altered as with what Juliet does with herself in the final moments of the play. It’s not reinterpreted in an & Juliet kind of way, but the final act of violence on her part is toned down in a way that feels less satisfying.

(Production photo by Joan Marcus.)

            Regardless of the choices made by Ali, the cast is overall solid. The titular leads, played by Daniel Bravo Hernández and Ra’Mya Latiah Aikens are appropriately melodramatic as two impulsive teens with undeveloped prefrontal cortexes, where everything is life and death. Their moments of romance are particularly sensual and sensitive.

            The supporting cast all come from different directions, which sometimes makes the performances inconsistent. Francis Jue tends to overplay Friar Lawrence with a perpetual sense of foreboding as to what will happen to the two young lovers. LaChanze’s Lady Capulet is understated against the boisterous Lord Capulet played by Glenn Fleshler. Ariyan Kassam’s Tybalt is a played as a one-note villain, and while Caleb Joshua Eberhardt’s Mercutio is mercurial, he lacks the gravitas common with the role. Deirdre O’Connell, as the Nurse, who gives the best performance of the show, showcasing the nurse’s wit and her love for Juliet and a world-weary quality of a woman who has dealt with too much drama over her years between the two families.

(Production photo by Joan Marcus.)

            There are some fantastic elements in The Public’s production of Romeo & Juliet, the use of Spanish language accentuates the romanticism of the text and the two leads and O’Connell give excellent performances. The rest of the cast has its strengths and weaknesses. Though I don’t mind the drama happening in a modern-day border town, the choice to politicize the two families in the way presented here misses the point of both families being equally responsible for the ensuing tragedy.

TICKETS: https://publictheater.org/

PRODUCTION:

Written by William Shakespeare; Spanish Translations by Alfredo Michel Modenessi; Choreography by Mayte Natalio; Directed by Saheem Ali; Scenic Design: Maruti Evans; Costume Design: Oana Botez; Lighting Design: Christopher Akerlind; Sound Design and Sound System: Mike Tracey; Original Music: Michael Thurber; Hair, Wigs, and Makeup Design: Krystal Balleza; Prop Manager: Jessica Zivny; Fight Direction: Thomas Schall; Intimacy Direction: Kelsey Rainwater; Spanish Dialect & Text Coach: David Jarzen; Voice & Text Coaches: Andrew Wade & Julie Congress; Casting: Kate Murray & Heidi Griffiths; Production Stage Manager: Kamra A. Jacobs; Producer: Citlali Pizarro; Company Manager: Heather Fichthorn; Production Manager: Cristina Ayón Viesca; Associate Artistic Director/Resident Director: Saheem Ali; Associate Artistic Director/Director of Cultural Transformation: Alexa Smith; Director of Producing: Jeremy Adams; General manager: Erik Schroeder; Directors of Casting: Heidi Griffiths, Jordan Thaler; Interim Director of Production: Frank Butler

CAST (in alphabetical order)

Ra’Mya Latiah Aikens as Juliet

Sergio Mauritz Ang as Friar John/Ensemble

Daniel Bravo Hernández as Romeo

Andrés Nicolás Chaves as Ensemble

Rachel Crowl as Apothecary/Ensemble

Reece Dos Santos as Balthasar

Caleb Joshua Eberhardt as Mercutio

Jacquernst F. Filias as Ensemble

Glenn Fleshler as Lord Capulet

Francis Jue as Friar Lawrence

Ariyan Kassam as Tybalt

LaChanze as Lady Capulet

Martin K. Lewis as Paris

Zack Lopez Roa as Benvolio

Gilda Mercado as Ensemble

Tina Muñoz Pandya as Ensemble

Deirdre O’Connell as Nurse

Jason Manuel Olazábal as Lord Montague

Jessica Pimentel as Escalus

Fedra Ramírez Olivares as Ensemble

Piper Runge as Ensemble

Miles Segura as Ensemble

Mariand Torres as Lady Montague

Marlon Xavier as Pedro/Ensemble