R and J Blue Crate Theatre

There’s that familiar problem again: how to perform a play that is so well-known that the audience could probably be the prompt? How to “surprise, move and provoke” – as Blue Crate Theatre seeks to do – when everyone knows what’s about to happen? Then again, if the play didn’t retain the capacity to do those things, we wouldn’t still be performing it and flocking to it centuries later. Blue Crate Theatre have done an accomplished job in its rendition of perhaps the most famous Shakespearean piece of them all.

Founded by graduates of the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in 2012, the company uses elements of physical theatre, song and mime to bring out the oscillating emotions of the piece. The cast members are totally at ease with the verse, although their performances aren’t about highlighting rhetorical devices: they get to the heart of the piece with strong performances and simple yet effective staging.

The company keep the play fresh and fizzing along, and show keen awareness that, until Mercutio’s death in Act III, Romeo and Juliet is on track to being a comedy – the romantic entanglements, the bawdy banter, the youthful awkwardness of our star-crossed lovers’ first meeting. Indeed, Oliver Lynes’ performance as Romeo highlights his adolescence in, at times, a slightly whiny tone and loss of temper. This works well for much of the play, as an impulsive young lover, but leaves us wanting in the later stages. At some point there must be development into a man driven to commit murder and suicide – and, despite being a proficient portrayal, I’m not quite sure Lynes’ Romeo would have the guts.

The remainder of the cast is strong, with particular mention going to Yvonne Martin as the Nurse, who embraces the comic potential of her role but also knows when to reign it in. Cameron Harle multi-roles admirably as the hot-headed Tybalt and a rather foppish Paris, while Lorna Jinks as Juliet makes the progression from girlishness to womanhood that her Romeo never quite manages. Yet stealing the show is Laurence North’s Mercutio: he pitches everything perfectly, shines in every scene and is undoubtedly missed in the second half.

Director Anna Simpson has crafted a sharp production with some lovely staging. The use of a Greek-style chorus in several scenes is a brilliant way of maintaining the pace and the intensifying emotion, be it comedy, shock or sorrow, and the ensemble work together tightly yet playfully. The clean, white set and lack of props works in the company’s favour: fight scenes become more visceral, giving the audience heightened awareness of the actors’ vulnerable bodies. Elements of physical theatre are mostly used to great effect, although there are a few corny moments – yet these are by and large forgotten and forgiven. In the latter stages, one or two scenes verge on the self-indulgent (the apothecary springs to mind) but once again, there is enough first-rate work here to hide a few misdemeanours.

Blue Crate Theatre ia certainly a company to look out for. To keep an audience enthralled with such a familiar text threatens to be a struggle, but this Romeo and Juliet kept us captivated, entertained and even surprised. As we reach the Bard’s 450th birthday, this company are undoubtedly helping to prove that we shouldn’t stop performing these unbeatable works.

Romeo and Juliet is playing at the Pleasance Theatre until 4 May. For more information and tickets, see the Pleasance Theatre website.