Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Matters of Age and Race in "Romeo and Juliet"




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It's handsome meets gorgeous in his Hollywood on Broadway staging of the eternal love story.  Orlando Bloom (36) and Condola Rashad (26) are older casts for Romeo and Juliet, who were in their tempestuous teens.  The two actors, I imagine, had fitness and beauty regimen to make sure they looked as youthful as possible.  

Beside the curious age matter, there is the so-called 'race card.'
According to producers, "In this new production, the members of the Montague household will be white, and the blood relatives of the Capulet family will be black. While race defines the family lineages, the original cause of the ‘ancient quarrel’, passed down by successive generations to their young, has been lost to time. Shakespeare’s dramatization of the original poem sets the two young lovers in a context of prejudice, authoritarian parents, and a never ending cycle of ‘revenge.’ Against this background, the strength of their love changes the world."
Reference:  Romeo and Juliet, Starring Orlando Bloom and Condola Rashad, Begins Broadway Previews Aug. 24.

The play officially opens on September 19th.

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