The hundreds of adaptations of “Romeo and Juliet” feel like attempts to keep everyone alive forever — even those who must die in the end. The new Broadway production, “Romeo + Juliet,” breathes life into these characters once more to reincarnate them for a new generation — one where crop tops pair with Adidas track pants, and a fully bedazzled jumpsuit is the only fitting choice for a ball.
The revived production, which opened on Oct. 24 at Circle in the Square Theatre, keeps the heart of Shakespeare’s classic but gives it a Generation Z twist with original music by Bleachers’ lead singer Jack Antonoff. Juliet (Rachel Zegler) is still the type to say someone passed away instead of died, but now in a ribbed tank top with the Virgin Mary on it, paired with pleated boxer shorts. Romeo (Kit Connor) stays true to his character, making sure Juliet never feels how awful it is to be unloved — all while wearing a Supreme jacket. Romeo’s best friend Balthazar, played by former NYU Tisch student Nihvar Duvvuri, donned camouflage jean shorts.
The production embraces the casual and playful vibe that defines Gen Z before the show begins. Attendees walk into an intimate setting, with every seat arranged in a circle around the stage, to find cast members already there — Connor lying on his side, casually chatting with others. Zegler joined the others wearing a shark onesie and sat on an inflatable chair, while a few cast members rode on a shopping cart filled with teddy bears and a box of Celsius. It set the scene for a night where the audience could feel like they, too, were the kind of people who could live in Verona — a diverse place where being queer is not something to hide.
Gabby Beans, who plays both Mercutio and the friar, introduced the cast and their roles with a certain flatness, like a storyteller resigned to unhappy endings, as though she’d accepted that her own life is doomed. The rest of the show is reminiscent of what it would feel like for a rave to take place in the alleyway behind a high school. The cast wears baggy shorts and athletic shoes, occasionally pulling out a vape, but then there are moments where intense synthetic beats fill the room and strobe lights flash against glittery outfits. The show is clearly tailored to a crowd drawn to social media — Connor’s pull-up just before he kisses Zegler has gone viral, tapping into the audience’s love for teenage romance and Netflix heartthrobs.
At one point an actor broke the fourth wall, leading the audience in a sing-along to “We are Young” (feat. Janelle Monáe) by Fun, Antonoff’s former band. Zegler showed that her innocent character could put on a powerful performance during “Man of the House,” inviting confusion as to why there was not more of her singing throughout the show.
At the end of the show, if you strip away the glittery costumes, Adidas sneakers and tight tank tops, what remains is the essence of Shakespeare’s original story — two lovers bound by fate, destined to be together but tragically forced apart. It seemed as if the audience was touched by Shakespeare’s ability to capture the gut-wrenching raw emotions of love and loss in his timeless play, and it also seemed like they’d be going home wondering — to borg or not to borg?
“Where do we go after we die?” I am sure many have asked their mothers. For Romeo and Juliet, it’s to another production, with a few costume and prop changes that somehow manage to revive them once again.
Contact Adrianna Nehme at [email protected].
