Romeo & Juliet delights crowds at annual Shakespeare performance

The lawn of the Raadhuis de Paauw was the ideal setting for the outdoor performance of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet by UK based theatre company, Illyria. Those attending the annual event could be forgiven for momentarily believing they were on the estate of the Montagues or Capulets, the warring families in Shakespeare’s play.

By Megan Walch

The story itself existed for many years before William Shakespeare put ink to paper, with Oliver Gray, Illyria’s Artistic Director, explaining there were at least 9 previous sources that Shakespeare “stole” the story from. However, Shakespeare’s version of the play was believed to have been written approximately between 1591 and 1595 and proved to make a lasting impression. At that time, the Raadhuis de Paauw was not yet built, but there was something already on the property, a country retreat named “Te Pau”, built in 1556 by Cornelis Arentsz van der Dussen. The house stood on the site for almost 200 years before being demolished and replaced with the current building.

It is no wonder that with that kind of history at their feet, the performances by Illyria at times became spellbinding experiences. With an irreverence that would have made Shakespeare proud, the cast members brought well-choreographed humour and mayhem to this tragic tale. The actors were able to show incredible range throughout the show, from the serious melancholy of Romeo to an over-the-top Mercutio, and then to the gut-wrenching sorrow of parents grieving a lost child, providing the audience with everything from belly-laughs to tears.

However, the swinging between serious and slapstick did at times cause confusion for the audience, with audience members laughing during some death scenes, not quite sure if it was a time to be sad or cheeky, making it difficult to determine if something was purposely or accidentally funny. This problem was most likely the result of the incredible comedic talent of the actors, who were sometimes so profoundly humourous, it became hard to see them any other way. With sword fights, wit, laughter, and tears, this performance was one not to miss.

There is no word on what Shakespeare play the talented cast of Illyria will perform next year, but we can only hope they will be bringing it back to Wassenaar once again.