REVIEW: Romeo and Juliet by Creation Theatre, in partnership with Watford Palace Theatre (Online)

In 2020 Rob Myles curated the complete works of Shakespeare over several months on a weekly basis with actors around the world in their homes (The Show must go Online) and made them available for free on YouTube. It was fascinating to see how their technique evolved and improved using zoom technology over the weeks. Creation Theatre, in partnership with Watford Palace Theatre, have taken this idea a step forward (or perhaps backwards) with their innovative 'choose your own adventure' style adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet directed by Jermyn Street Theatre’s Artistic Associate Natasha Rickman. It proclaims it is “an expansive multi-platform digital production”. In practice, it is a mess and rather like having a nightmare about a drug-fuelled rave with 105 (on this occasion) voyeurs watching.

It is a game of two halves. In the first half, we join the story either as Capulets or Montagues and by the look of it the voyeurs split roughly fifty: fifty as we watch our “House” prepare for the Capulets party where Romeo meets Juliet. Throughout we can see in the zoom windows the other voyeurs, some in masks, as they too try to work out what is going on. 

REVIEW: Gaslight at the Watford Palace Theatre

A play-within-a-play set in a women’s refuge, this production of Patrick Hamilton’s Gaslight boasts an all-female cast. The cast are all escaping domestic abuse at home and perform Hamilton’s classic thriller in the living room of their refuge while stage directions are read out through a microphone in true Brechtian style.

Hamilton’s writing is suspenseful and exciting whilst being somewhat predictable due to its simple structure, but this doesn’t take away from the standout performances of the night. Sally Tatum takes on the role of Bella Manningham, the downtrodden and abused wife of the man of the house, Jack Manningham (Jasmine Jones). Tatum’s performance stays honest and true throughout which is no easy task with so much fear, anger and distress in a character. 

Inspector Rough, traditionally an older gentleman, is portrayed by Tricia Kelly who tackles the confident, strong and humble Inspector with ease and joy.