One Man Romeo & Juliet

Rating:

Company: One Man Shakespeare

Genre: Play - Comedy

Venue: Kids Venue - MTYP Mainstage

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"Most of the cast will die, but we'll be having fun," Shelby Bond promises in his kid-friendly solo take on Shakespeare's tale of star-crossedlovers. And he delivers on both counts.

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Using puppets, audience participation, a bit of sleight of hand and a whole lot of goofy energy, Bond whisks through a 45-minute take onRomeo and Julietthat's lively and engaging. He blends in enough actual Shakespeare for flavour, but not too much to lose the youngsters, andalso mixes in a few sly jokes for Mom and Dad (like his Christopher Walken-inspired Friar Laurence).

There are a few spots where the pacing lags a bit, but Bondalways wins the audience back quickly.

And yes, there is the "everyone dies at the end" issue but the death scenes become silly enough not to be traumatic, and Bond finds a way to end it all on an upbeat note.

Bond whisks through a 45-minute take onRomeo and Julietthat's lively and engaging.- Joff Schmidt

Rarely was a tale as much goofy fun as this of Juliet and her Romeo.