Anarchy in Verona

The first clues that you’re not going to see the same old Romeo & Juliet at Resurrection Theatre come from the graffiti-covered walls, the Mohawk-and-leather attire, and most notably, the ’70s soundtrack. Welcome to Willie-goes-punk, with sword fights and love scenes punctuated by music from the Buzzcocks, the Clash, Iggy Pop and Television.

Director Nina Collins embraces her self-proclaimed love of the ’70s edgy alt-genre by incorporating the punk-rock scene into Shakespeare’s classic tale of star-crossed lovers. Before you go all “uh-oh,” the concept makes total sense: rebellious teenagers flaunt societal mores. OK, there’s more to Romeo & Juliet than that, but Collins makes the story entertaining and accessible, while at the same time cutting it down to 90 minutes.

Let’s get to the all-important make-or-break of a Romeo & Juliet production: Do the lead actors pull it off? The answer is yes, both as lovers and punkers; Brennan Villados in his shocking-pink hair conveys both toughness and tenderness, while Lia Rose, in her combo pixie haircut and old T-shirt, combines sassiness with sweetness—and together they sizzle.

The other aspect of this production is the revision of the familiar tale. Collins takes chances that succeed with a gender-bending Mercutio (a mesmerizing Elizabeth Holzman, who is scarily good with a butterfly knife), a feisty Earth-mother nurse (an arresting “don’t-mess-with-me” Tara Henry), a minimalistic set (construction scaffolding and graffiti walls and floors—kudos to set designer Brian Watson) and the ultra-modernistic approach, both in sensibility and in costume (another nod to the very creative and period-accurate costume designer and team). The whole team is noteworthy—cast, crew and director.

Collins also is daring in the paring down of the script to an hour and a half, no intermission. This trimming comes with both a payoff and a price. It’s fast, furious and fun, with lots of action from ping-ponging fight and love scenes, but some of the societal tensions and emotional pulls are missing.

Overall, this punked-out production shows off the emergence of Resurrection Theatre as a major player in the community-theater scene, attracting talented local directors and actors while embracing and taking on challenging plays and making it their own. Rock on.