REVIEW: ROMEO & JULIET @ GREENWICH THEATRE

🎭 Romeo & Juliet

📍 Greenwich Theatre, Crooms Hill, London, SE10 8ES

🗓 Friday 10th July 2026

⭐️ 3 Stars

STAR-CROSSED AND SWELTERING!

This week I headed to Greenwich, and to escape the stifling humidity of the Tube, I decided to play tourist in my own city and jump on an Uber Boat! Honestly, there is nothing quite like taking in the iconic London sights from the river with a breeze in your hair. It was absolute bliss. Sadly, that blissful breeze evaporated the second I stepped inside Greenwich Theatre. There was absolutely no hope of cooling down as unfortunately the venue has zero air conditioning, and inside that auditorium it felt like I was gently baking in my seat.

But onto the main event. Now, just in case any of you have been living under a theatrical rock, ROMEO & JULIET is Shakespeare’s ultimate tragic romance. Two star-crossed lovers from warring families - the Capulets and the Montagues - fall hard and fast, leading to a domino effect of secret marriages, bloody street brawls, and a devastatingly misjudged double suicide. For this summer run, director James Haddrell has shaken things up by infusing the text with live folk music and gender-swapping Romeo to a female-presenting character, framing the ultimate love story through a queer lens.

First up, let’s talk visuals. The set design is absolutely striking. It feels incredibly natural, almost as if a piece of wild nature has taken over the stage, and it serves the fluid staging wonderfully well. However, I sorely wished there had been a bit more creativity in the lighting design. The entire show seemed to be lit by a continuous series of flat, warm white washes. I really wanted to see some light and shade, some moody atmosphere, and more evocative scene-setting from the lighting to help guide us through the play’s darker shifts.

If I'm being completely honest, this production was a real mixed bag for me. On the plus side, the inclusion of folk music worked incredibly well and added a gorgeous layer to the evening. The tracklist is comprised entirely of acoustic folk covers, and they fit the vibe beautifully. Even better, the music is all played live by the immensely talented actors right there on stage, and their vocal harmonies are gloriously tight.

I was also seriously impressed with the fight scenes. Choreographed with real teeth, the stage combat was executed with absolute precision by the cast. A special shoutout has to go to Matt Penson. I was particularly impressed with the sharp, commanding way he handled his sword during the skirmishes.

The main issue for me, though, came down to the pacing. Everything felt inexplicably drawn out. Perhaps the stifling heat in the room was just draining the life out of the atmosphere, but something vital was lacking. It's hard to put my finger on exactly what it was, but the production just seemed to want for a spark of urgent electricity. Scenes rolled into one another without that driving momentum required to make a tragedy feel inevitable, leaving the emotional beats feeling a bit sluggish rather than heartbreaking.

That lack of momentum also made me hyper-aware of some of the text's more uncomfortable elements. Most modern productions tend to age Juliet up from the young teenager she is in the original text to make the romance feel a bit more palatable. Keeping her so explicitly young - as this faithful version does - always makes me feel deeply uneasy. Watching a literal child swept up in such dark, heavy, and manipulative adult trauma feels less like a grand romance and more like a tragedy of exploitation, which sits uncomfortably alongside the play's lighter, musical moments.

I also left wishing that the production had really leant into its queer identity. Having Romeo and Juliet as a same-sex couple in a hostile environment should feel raw, punchy, and defiantly revolutionary. Instead, because the text remains largely unaltered and the societal stakes of their queer relationship aren't fully interrogated, it almost felt a bit like a gimmick rather than a transformative directorial choice. I was left questioning what the point was of doing it in the first place.

That being said, there are some lovely performances here. I really enjoyed Blossom Timothy as Romeo. She brought a playful, heartfelt energy to the stage that was deeply endearing. But my absolute standout performance of the night came from Nikita Johal. She is wonderfully kind and warm as the Nurse, but she absolutely shines when she steps into the boots of Mercutio. Here, the gender-swap worked brilliantly. Johal infuses Mercutio with a magnetic, witty bravado that completely commands the stage, making her scenes an absolute joy to watch.

It’s a passionate effort with brilliant music and fights, but the pacing, a safe approach to its queer themes, and that lingering teenage uneasiness keep it from truly soaring.

ROMEO & JULIET plays at the Greenwich Theatre until Saturday 25th July. CLICK HERE to book your tickets. Just remember to pack a fan!

Neill Kovacic-Clarke

All views are my own and I pride myself on being honest, fair, and free from influence. Theatre is subjective and it is important to remember that all views expressed are just those of one person.

My ticket for this performance of Romeo & Juliet was gifted by Chloe Nelkin Consulting, who invited me to watch the show in exchange for my honest review. The fact that my ticket was gifted played no part in the content of my review or the star rating given.

CAST LIST:

Blossom Timothy as Romeo; Ava Honey as Juliet; Charlotte Harwood as Lady Capulet / Friar Lawrence; Nikita Johal as Mercutio / Nurse; Matt Penson as Benvolio / Lord Capulet / Apothecary; James Aldred as Lord Montague / Tybalt / Paris

RUNNING TIME (approx):

2 hours 45 minutes, including interval

CONTENT WARNINGS:

Violence; Stage combat; Suicide and self harm; Grief; Family conflict

AGE GUIDELINE:

12+

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