Tag Archives: Nicola Young

ROMEO AND JULIET

★★★★★

Hackney Empire

ROMEO AND JULIET

Hackney Empire

★★★★★

“thrilling, raw, moving, and completely unforgettable”

If Shakespeare were here today, he’d be proud – perhaps even moved – to see his timeless tragedy reimagined in such a vibrant, daring, and emotionally charged way. This co-production between Hackney Empire, Belgrade Theatre and Bristol Old Vic, directed by the talented Corey Campbell, brings Romeo and Juliet into a new era while preserving every beat of its emotional core.

From the moment the lights dim, it’s clear this isn’t just another retelling. The production is bold, fresh, and utterly magnetic – a true celebration of youthful energy and artistic innovation. The language has been masterfully reworked, blending Shakespeare’s original lines with powerful additions of rap, R&B, and contemporary rhythms. It’s not just modernised – it’s recharged.

Leading the cast are the outstanding Kyle Ndukuba as Romeo and Mia Khan as Juliet. Despite their young age, both performers bring a striking level of depth, charisma, and authenticity to their roles. Their chemistry is electric, their performances emotionally resonant, and their command of both classical and modern language is simply superb. They are, without a doubt, rising stars to watch.

But it doesn’t stop there. This production is blessed with an exceptional ensemble, each member leaving their mark on the stage. Dillon Scott-Lewis, in the role of Mercutio and ensemble, is a standout. He fuses dance, rap, and acting into a single, seamless performance that demands attention. Andre Antonio in the role of Benvolio also brings incredible energy, captivating the audience from the very beginning with charisma and presence that lights up every scene he’s in.

A particularly memorable performance comes from Lauren Moakes as Lady Capulet and Ensemble. Her presence on stage is powerful and versatile – seamlessly blending acting, singing, and dance. She brings emotional depth to her role, with vocals that resonate and movement that enhances the intensity of each scene.

Set against a contemporary backdrop (set and costume design by Simon Kenny), this Romeo and Juliet becomes not only a love story but a commentary on modern life, youth, community, and division. The story of the star-crossed lovers is no less heartbreaking, but it feels more urgent and relevant than ever.

The live music is another key player in this production’s success. The band – Elijah Aduu (ERA) on guitar, Mark Holder on drums, D’evante Seepaul-Craig on keyboard, Chris Jones on bass, Aaron Blake (Keys 1), and Samuel Cummins (Keys 2) – delivers a phenomenal soundtrack that pulses through the performance. Their music does more than support the actors – it lifts, drives, and elevates the emotional journey of the play. It’s the kind of soundtrack you’ll wish was available on Spotify the moment the curtain falls.

This Romeo and Juliet is not just a performance – it’s an experience. It’s an extraordinary fusion of classic literature and contemporary culture, brought to life by a fiercely talented cast and creative team. It’s thrilling, raw, moving, and completely unforgettable.

Whether you’re a lifelong Shakespeare fan or discovering the story for the first time, this production is a must-see. Bold in vision and rich in execution, it’s a beautiful reminder that great stories never die, they simply evolve.



ROMEO AND JULIET

Hackney Empire

Reviewed on 24th April 2025

by Beatrice Morandi

Photography by Nicola Young

 

 


 

 

 

Previously reviewed at this venue:

DICK WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT | ★★★★ | December 2024
ALADDIN | ★★★★ | November 2023

 

 

ROMEO AND JULIET

ROMEO AND JULIET

ROMEO AND JULIET

MY MOTHER’S FUNERAL

★★★★★

The Yard Theatre

MY MOTHER’S FUNERAL

The Yard Theatre

★★★★★

“fresh and funny and angry”

Abigail’s mother has died and she can’t afford the funeral. This simple fact drives a play that spirals in different directions, examining class inequality, the consequences of revealing your trauma for art commissions, the different sides of a parent that children can experience. All of this is considered through a warm and darkly comic lens.

Abigail (Nicole Sawyerr) is a writer and as the middle-class theatre commissioner keeps reminding her, she is a writer who grew up on a council estate. As her brother keeps reminding her, she is the only one from ‘around here’ who goes to this theatre. The disconnect between audience and experience is stark. Realising that the only way she can afford a funeral is to get a commission (the theatre didn’t like her piece about gay bugs in space, they want something through her ‘unique lens’) Abigail finds herself writing a play about a woman who can’t afford her mother’s funeral. But as the theatre people workshop her experiences into caricature and the money seems ever elusive, Abigail must wrestle with the ethics of what she is doing, while also grieving her mother.

The themes are complicated and hard-hitting. There are so many moments in this play where you want a chance to stop and think, to consider the point that’s just been made. But that’s not allowed, the pace is careening, a whirlwind of grief and exploitation that mirrors the chaotic aftermath of a death.

Kelly Jones’ script is layered, complex and slippery. The jokes are packed in, managing to have us laughing through gritted teeth at the out of touch theatre people, and laughing with moist eyes at some of the softer, quieter moments. It’s an angry script, and rightly so. Many people won’t know how expensive funerals have become (the costs have risen 126% in the last 20 years) and might not know about what happens if you can’t afford it. This is a story that’s worth telling, but by adding the complexity of Abigail wrestling with telling it, Jones elevates this piece to a broader critique of class and the arts and the cluelessness of those in power.

Charlotte Bennett’s direction is energetic and slick. The three performers dart about the stage, their tangled emotions explored in masterful light and shade. Sawyerr as Abigail quivers with tension, trapped in an impossible situation. Samuel Armfield is maddening as the theatre commissioner, and extremely moving as Abigail’s brother Darren, whose memories of their mother are more complicated and his grief harder to grapple with. Debra Baker plays both Linda the mother and the Actor who will perform as the mother in the play Abigail is writing. This is a stroke of genius to twist the knife of Abigail’s pain. Baker slips effortlessly between the two, as well as doing a hilarious turn as a set builder, throwing mud everywhere for the ‘authentic working-class experience’.

Rhys Jarman’s set begins simply, with a small two-levelled stage at the centre. As the play within a play develops, the set design becomes more involved and a grave is revealed. There is something sickeningly powerful about an on-stage grave. It’s a brilliant choice.

This play is fresh and funny and angry. It deservedly won a Scotsman Fringe First Award for new writing at the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe. In combining the universal and the specific it’s found a powerful niche. It’s just shy of harrowing, but it’s certainly worth your time.



MY MOTHER’S FUNERAL

The Yard Theatre

Reviewed on 30th January 2025

by Auriol Reddaway

Photography by Nicola Young

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Previously reviewed at this venue:

PERKY NATIVITITTIES | ★★★★ | December 2024
THE FLEA | ★★★★★ | October 2024
THE FLEA | ★★★★ | October 2023

MY MOTHER’S FUNERAL

MY MOTHER’S FUNERAL

MY MOTHER’S FUNERAL