Romeo and Juliet By Flabbergast Theatre Review 

Flabbergast Theatre has returned to Wilton’s Music Hall with their unique, award-winning take on Shakespeare—this time tackling Romeo and Juliet. 

Known for redeveloping the classics, the company blends physical theatre and music, and celebrates verse. Founded in 2010 by Henry Maynard, Flabbergast’s process is collaborative and intercultural, drawing from the lived experiences and identities of the ensemble. The result? Storytelling that’s rich with texture.

With this production, Flabergast continues to use live music, clowning, and mask work. It draws heavily on Commedia dell’arte, an Italian tradition of semi improvised masked theatre. This influence is especially noticeable in the character of Paris, portrayed with exaggerated prosthetic teeth and a lisp. 

The language remains front and centre, but it’s carried along by movement and folk music. Movement is a huge part of this production, directed by Slovak theatre artist Matej Matejka. The scaffolding serves multiple purposes—from hosting the iconic balcony scene to becoming Juliet’s final resting place as roses fall dramatically from above. The ensemble remains on stage throughout, constantly shifting roles or playing instruments. One standout moment is the handfasting during Romeo and Juliet’s wedding, where a rope is gently wrapped around their hands. Another moment is Kyll Thomas-Cole’s streetwise Romeo and Lennie Longworth’s Juliet twisting around each other.

A beautiful surprise is a haunting folk song—a Petrarch sonnet set to music by Nick Hart. Sung in poignant moments by the cast, its lyrics (“It did not seem to me to be a time to guard myself against Love’s blows so I went on confident, unsuspecting from that, my troubles started, amongst the public sorrows”…”) feel perfectly attuned to the tragic arc of Romeo and Juliet’s story.

Henry Maynard not only directs but also designed the costumes. The cast wears white singlets and shorts, splattered with red paint to signify blood. While the effect is striking, some paint placement—particularly on female actors—could have been more sensitively considered. Many wear knee pads, practical for a production that involves constant movement, kneeling, and climbing up and down a large onstage scaffold. The bare stage makes the bold costume choices pop even more, and there’s no set time period given the mix of costumes. Romeo’s black string vest contrasts wildly with the Nurse’s flamboyant red dress and blue wig in the party scene, and her hoop skirt. Makeup is stark white, giving the cast a clown-like appearance, and Nurse is given the feel of the Dame in a pantomime.

The ensemble take on multiple roles with Maynard also acting as a Lord Capulet and Benvolio; Daniel Chrisostomou as the Duke, Friar Lawrence, and Peter, and Simon Gleave performs as  both Mercutio and the Prince. Nadav Burstein plays Tybalt. Vyte Garriga, a Lithuanian-born London-based performer who recently premiered her full-length play Paper Swans, once again displays great physicality and strong comic instincts as the Nurse—though some lines did get lost in delivery.

It’s a bold, energetic production. If you’re open to Shakespeare told through clowning, song, and mask- yet still showing a deeply human core- head to Wilton’s. Romeo & Juliet is performing 10-21 June 2025. Prices £12.50-28, and £10-25.50 for concession.

Address: Wilton’s Music Hall

Website: https://wiltons.org.uk/whats-on/romeo-and-juliet/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiltonsmusichall 

Website: https://www.flabbergasttheatre.co.uk

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flabbergast_theatre 

Written by Caitlin Neal