Simon Ward reviews Romeo and Juliet – The Hate Story at the Hen and Chickens Theatre

Directed by Annie Araba, this is the debut play of Brazilian writer-performer-producer Lucas Luan Lima. He and co-star George Bird play Romeo and Juliet, plus a number of the other characters familiar from the Shakespearean source material. The swapping between characters is neatly done – especially fun when Tybalt is killed by Romeo and Bird has to die and react to the death almost simultaneously. Luan Lima is genuinely terrifying as Laurence – here a kind of drugged up, take-no-prisoners gangster.

Luan Lima has set his updated and revised version of the story in modern times – there is much use of mobile phones – where the Montagues and Capulets are rivals in the Verona drug trade. So there is a simmering element of gangland violence underpinning the comedy, as well as straightforward craziness – Juliet seems to be a particular menace when anywhere near a box of matches. The update extends to the couple’s relationship as well – the ‘Hate Story’ of the title is very evident in the pair’s intense dislike throughout. Is there, though, a bit of love woven through the hate? Is it a case of ‘I hate you but I can’t live without you?’ Perhaps. I wonder if they are protesting their mutual loathing a little bit too much. The ending seems to me ambiguous enough to allow that interpretation.

In any case, this a rapid-fire comedy and as a result it is not always easy to follow, as the plot twists become increasingly wacky. Although there are a few bones of the original story – it is set in Verona, Romeo is in love with Rosaline at the start of the play, Juliet is unwillingly betrothed to Paris, there is a parody balcony scene and a kind of masked ball – but in other ways it bears little or no relation. This is a problem with using Shakespearean material – the original plot is always lurking in the back of the audience’s mind.

Luan Lima and Bird bring an abundance of sparky energy and charm to the party – it is easy to see how this Romeo and Juliet could fall for each other. Their desperation to escape their seemingly inevitable fate culminates in a hilariously unforgettable scene where they get to vent all their pent-up frustrations with each other, and the whole absurd situation in which they find themselves. This is a funny, cheeky, charmer of a show, zipping along maybe a bit too quickly for everything to land. It could stand to take a breath and paint more of a picture of its world to help us enjoy the experience more fully. There are times when I was left wondering what had just happened, but with no time to gather my thoughts before something else was exploding in front of me. Still, this is a promising debut and it will be interesting to see how Luan Lima’s work develops.

Romeo and Juliet – The Hate Story is running at the Hen and Chickens Theatre, 109 St Paul’s Rd, London N1 2NA until Sunday 31st August