Shakespeare wrote Romeo & Juliet in the mid-1590s. It has been staged in almost every style imaginable: corseted Victorians, gritty street gangs, full-tilt modern realism, even futuristic neon worlds.
Bell Shakespeare first performed the play in 1992 during its founding year, establishing the company’s commitment to rigorous, actor-focused interpretations of Shakespeare’s most loved texts. They produced it again in 2023 at their headquarters in the Neilson Nutshell, and now, in 2025, have toured that production around the country, landing the plane at the Sydney Opera House.
Director Peter Evans understands the value of Shakespeare’s language and trusts the actors to carry it. There is no clutter. There is no noise. The story speaks clearly. And yet, he finds simple ways to draw out the symmetry of the story.
Even the choice to place the interval between the marriage and the death that changes the play makes it feel like two separate entities: Act 1, a happily ever after, Act 2, what actually happens when love meets hate. The performances, the direction and the design work together with a sense of purpose.
Madeline Li’s Juliet is a standout. When she joined the company last year, it was clear big things were coming with her. She brings intelligence, quick humour and startling emotional range to each scene. Her performance of the playful banter in the Balcony scene lands with clarity and quiet power.
Ryan Hodson offers a thoughtful, sincere Romeo whose energy balances Juliet’s fire. Together, they form a partnership marked by curiosity and trust rather than cliché.
Merridy Eastman’s Nurse gives warmth and grounded comic skill before shifting into deep sorrow. Brittany Santariga’s Mercutio moves with sharp physical detail and electric timing.
Tom Matthews brings dangerous precision to Tybalt. Michael Wahr’s Lord Capulet shifts from pride to rage with unsettling speed. He is taking some notes from the 2023 Lord Capulet, James Evans, but inserting his own twist on them.
Each actor delivers work shaped by respect for the text and trust in Peter Evans’ direction.
The production team builds a world that feels both ancient and modern. Anna Tregloan’s costumes use clean lines and muted textures to focus attention on the actors. Her set with a faded mirror reminded me of Black Swan and serves a similar metatextual purpose of reflecting the darkest parts within the characters.
Benjamin Cisterne’s lighting, from sparse to vivid, cold to warm, invites the audience in. It holds them, then pushes them away, and finally challenges them to go hence and talk more of these sad things.
Max Lyandvert’s composition and sound design frame the tragedy with quiet tension. Simone Sault’s choreography and Tom Royce-Hampton’s fight direction give the movement sharp meaning without excess.
Bell Shakespeare Company’s Romeo & Juliet offers a clear, steady and moving take on a play too often weighed down by concept. Evans, in his post-show speech said: “It’s really good writing and we shouldn’t take that for granted.”
He has proven once again that strong direction is also worth celebrating and not taken for granted. Romeo & Juliet is an honest, vivid and powerful telling of a timeless play.
Romeo & Juliet is presented by Bell Shakespeare Company and runs to 7 December 2025 at the Playhouse, Sydney Opera House. Bennelong Point Sydney 2000.
Read a 5 minute refresher guide to the play here.
Tickets: https://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/bell-shakespeare/2025-season/romeo-juliet
Website: https://www.bellshakespeare.com.au/romeo-and-juliet
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/bellshakespeare/
Photo credits: Brett Boardman
