Tori VonKaenel - Extra Credit Romeo & Juliet Review

Many schools attempt Shakespearean plays, but this past weekend, South Windsor High School’s production of Romeo and Juliet could be considered one of the best high school productions.  A good play would include key scenes that may often be left out in movies or popular productions, and emotional actors.

 It was very important to the SWHS production included lines of many servants not only to give more students an oppourtunity to participate, but to fully understand the meaning of the play.  The actor’s needed emotions to bring the show to life and connect with the audience where they may not have understood the traditional, poetic speech alone.

This production included small scenes like the musicians discussion with Peter after Juliet’s death, which may seem unimportant at a glance, but add to the development of small, but important characters to the overall plot.  As for actors, they hit the emotions right on the head, although it did occasionally cause them to break traditional delivery of iambic pantameter.  Scenes such as Act V, Scene III filled the audience with emotion at the loss of likeable characters and realistic reaction of the other characters. 

It is understood that the actors were not perfect, and occasionally dropped lines, ot they may not have fit 10 syllables to a t like they should have.  However, this was very impressive for a cast of young students, most of who began with little to no Shakespearean experience.  Of all high school productions, this could clearly be considered on of the best.