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Regional Reviews: Washington, D.C. Duel Reality Also see Susan's reviews of Wipeout and A Wrinkle in Time
The Canadian company The 7 Fingers–whose members demonstrate a blend of circus, acrobatics, stage combat, and theatrical storytelling–brings the story of Romeo and Juliet to thrilling life through physical presentation, with limited dialogue, some projected quotes from the play, and a hypnotic musical score by Colin Gagné. In her adaptation of the play, Shana Carroll, writer, director and choreographer, has cut back the story of the feuding Montague and Capulet families to the essentials. The two groups are identified by the colors of Camille Thibault-Bédard's costumes, red and blue, which are echoed in Alexander Nichols' rear wall of shifting light patterns. (Audience members, as they enter the theater, are randomly given elastic wristbands placing them in one of the two groups.) Part of the amazement in this production is realizing how hard each of the performers is working. Some plunge head-first down poles, landing just short of hitting their heads on the ground. Others wrestle on a teeterboard that shifts position with each move they make. Some cast members are contortionists, some juggle clubs or balls, while others do balletic lifts or battle in stage combat. While the setting is high-tech, the human element always takes precedence. The stage configuration incorporates a variety of acrobatic apparatus as the scenes shift, but the overall sense of Maude St-Pierre's production design is a high-level athletic competition between the two warring groups. Note: The program identifies the cast members in alphabetical order without mentioning who plays which role. In this company, everyone is a star and every moment of the 80-minute performance inspires gasps and applause. Duel Reality runs through July 20, 2025, at Shakespeare Theatre Company, Harman Hall, 610 F St. NW, Washington DC. For tickets and information, please call 202-547-1122 or 877-487-8849 or visit www.shakespearetheatre.org. By The 7 Fingers Cast: |
