For this analysis, a theatrical production of the play “Romeo and Juliet” adapted to the modern cinema style was chosen. The director is Simon Godwin, and the main actors are Josh O’Connor and Jessie Buckley as Romeo and Juliet. The production presents a modern reading of Shakespeare’s play, which, to the audience’s surprise, does not look out of place. “Modernization” often spoils classical works, depriving them of some charm, but not this time. Modern details are most harmoniously woven into the canvas of Shakespeare’s play. They add another plane to the deep and multidimensional creation, breathe into it something that unites distant characters of medieval Italy with their peers in other countries, breaking the shackles of time and space.
Modern costumes and extremely understandable replicas transfer the actors in the audience’s imagination to the streets of familiar modern cities, interfere with them with the crowd, not so much discoloring bright images as paying tribute to their relevance. Without harming the original text of the play, meaning, and emotional state, the literary component of the performance moves aside, opening up the expanses of its choreographic part. The stylization of the film provides many opportunities for the modern viewer to join theatrical productions.
The feeling of being present in the theater does not disappear. In addition, the modern form of expression is more accessible to the inexperienced viewer. The production turned out to be a landmark not only because of the completely unprecedented entourage and conditions of creation. The actors played in the theater without an audience, and the shooting itself took two and a half weeks, but also due to the director’s attempt to combine the action on the theater stage and the techniques characteristic of camerawork in the cinema.
The director managed to turn to the benefit of the cause of the catastrophic situation that theaters worldwide got into because of the global pandemic and masterfully achieved the effect of personal presence with a caring observer. The impression formed due to the actors’ excellent performance in combination with a combination of various techniques at the junction of theater and cinema is very contradictory.
On the one hand, unprecedented impressiveness causes a feeling of euphoria, which is so easily achievable, primarily due to the emotional hunger for collective experiences that have become a consequence of a bizarre lifestyle over the past year and a half. Such unexpected proximity to what is happening causes a feeling of crowding and stuffiness, making it almost unbearable to watch the boiling of passions on the screen.
Godwin managed to look at what is happening somewhat differently – what is happening is repulsive, but without provocation, it is significantly devoid of romantic flair, but it fully preserves humanity. “Did this all really happen?” (Godwin, 2021) these are the words from the play that can describe what is happening on the stage and the uniqueness of the compatibility of cinema and theater. This was achieved, which is especially valuable, without much ingenuity in terms of visual means. If the whole world and life itself continue to be strict with Shakespeare, the theater, then Godwin literally and figuratively showed its underside. What is happening behind the scenes, only occasionally breaking into the foreground. Removing the veil of mystery from life in its extreme manifestations at the culminating moments, he simultaneously exposes it, giving the conflict a genuinely biblical scale and bottomless depth. Moreover, viewers can only see it in a perfect void, the same one that enveloped people for a while on the other side of the stage.
This production shows that the style of cinema and theater can be combined together. In addition, a clear sense of presence is created. This allows theater fans to feel themselves at a performance in a problematic pandemic era. Therefore, I am covered only by positive feelings. This work of art can become the starting point for creating a new kind of art. This will allow people to modernize theatrical productions with the help of the language of cinema.
Reference
Godwin, S. (2021). Romeo and Juliet [Film]. Great Performances.