Romeo's Ghost
In the masterful hands of the immortal bard, themes of forbidden love and star-cross’d lovers render a masterpiece like “Romeo and Juliet.” But will that which we call a play by any other name smell as sweet? You can answer that question for yourself by attending the Action/Reaction Theatre Company’s production of “Romeo’s Ghost,” currently doing a run at the Complex Theatre in Hollywood.
Shakespeare is certainly a tough act to follow, but playwright Stephen Antczak and director Michael Holmes have done a quite capable job of addressing issues of love, lost innocence, and youthful longing with this production. The story revolves around Richard Brunner (Richard Scofield) and Kate West (Gia McGinley), two stage actors who had a brief romance years before when they starred together in “Romeo and Juliet.” Now reunited many years later for a reprise, the two are on divergent paths.
Kate still works the theatre circuit while Richard has become a Hollywood movie star, somewhat jaded and becoming increasingly reliant on booze. His star power is expected to sell tickets so Edwin (Maxwell Brooks), the show’s producer, can turn the theatre into a comedy club. But lurking in the wings is the ghostly Romeo, a supernatural remnant of Kate’s and Richard’s former performance.
This apparition has haunted the theatre for years, waiting for the chance to profess his love for Juliet. Necessarily, he must eliminate Richard, whom Kate still loves. The distinction between Romeo and Richard quickly grows murky, however, and it becomes readily apparent that the ghostly specter embodies a long-lost side of Richard’s personality—a hopeful side that still believes in love.
The play is well-written and rich with the symbolism of a universal theme…who doesn’t lament the insidious and inevitable erosion of youthful possibilities and tempestuous love? Romeo’s (Ben Jones) baby face and slight stature are a perfect fit for the role, but I thought his voice a bit squeaky at times, and found myself imploring him to assert his position with a bit more strength, especially during the play’s climax.
Overall, the acting was very good, if at places a bit stiff with opening night tension. Edwin’s girlfriend Desiree (Francy Cline) adds a wonderful dollop of humor to the proceedings and the pace moves along briskly.
The effects of sound, lighting, and set design were minimized…not surprising since any efforts of a large scale would have been hampered by the tiny theatre and stage. Indeed, the small venue made it necessary for the actors to frequently make their entrances down the aisle from the back of the house. Nevertheless, nothing seemed lost, save moments of physicality, particularly a sword-fighting sequence between Richard and Romeo where the luxury of a larger stage would have enhanced the flair and drama of the scene.
This show has a lot going for it, and it should only get better as the actors become more comfortable with their surroundings and themselves. The show runs January 19th through March 9th with Friday and Saturday shows at 8 pm, and Sunday matinees at 3pm. Admission is $18 and $15 on Sundays. Call (818) 786-1045 for tickets, or visit www.romeosghost.com