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‘Juliet & Romeo’ Review: The Classic Romance Is Reimagined as a Superfluous Pop Music Extravaganza
The popular star-crossed couple intertwine in musical and romantic disharmony in a reductive refashioning of William Shakespeare’s tragic play.
Sadly, such is the case with “Juliet & Romeo.” Adapting writer-director Timothy Scott Bogart(“Spinning Gold”) takes a stab at enlivening the centuries-old text, refurbishing it as a pop-song-and-star-studded musical minus the original’s iambic pentameter, personality and poignancy. The Montagues are also dealing with some familial strife as Mercutio (Nicholas Podany) feels the need to prove himself to his adoptive dad, but is in love with commoner Veronica (Martina Ortiz Luis), while biological son Romeo ( Jamie Ward) seeks to rebel whenever he can. Bogart overhauls the dialogue, seasoning the proceedings with a few key phrases from the play, but bafflingly doesn’t bother to give much internal or external motivation to supporting players like Rosaline, Juliet’s Nurse (Sara Lazzaro), Versante (Ledsi) and many of the men on Team Romeo.
Or read this on Variety