After four days of bloody turmoil, civil unrest and six deaths, peace has been sealed with a tentative handshake between contending parties. This story comes not from Cairo or Bahrain, but from the "Fair Verona" of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet in the Cardinal Stage Company's production.
Director Randy White promised a "luscious, romantic, bloody, bawdy, and tragic production" and all the elements were there. Alexandra Morphet's costumes were colorful, varied and told little stories about their characters.
Three Chicagoans grace the cast. Mouzam Makkar was a smitten teen-aged Juliet. Her Romeo, Andrew Carter was equally smitten and charming. Ian Paul Custer as Mercutio was the bawdy and over the top, a rambunctious sort of Animal House-style-fraternity-dude.
And the tragedy of the young lovers does very much take over and master both the romance and the strife between the families.
Of the cast Mike Price was outstanding as he gave a rounded and thoughtful performance in the role of the Friar and quite the contrary, a fiery one as the aggressive Tybalt. Paul Daily was a sympathetic companion for Romeo and Mercutio.
Gerard Pauwels was a mercurial Lord Capulet with Kate Braun as his lady. Roy Sillings and Gladys DeVane were the Montagues. Daniel Petrie was the unfortuate Paris. Â Greg Buse was masterful as the peace-making Prince.
The production didn't lack for comedy. Mercutio has his amusing moments while Gail Bray was very funny as the addle-headed nurse, as was Ethan Philbeck as a clueless servant.
At the theatre for you, I'm George Walker