Camden Fringe 2024: Rosaline and Juliet at Lion & Unicorn Theatre

“For love like ours can conquer any fight!” In the Tale Blazers Theatre Company’s witty reimagining of Shakespeare’s most famous love story, these words are spoken not by the expected Romeo, but rather tenderly shared between cousins Rosaline (Lily Roberts) and Juliet (Lara Lawman). Where Rosaline is merely mentioned as Romeo’s first love and never actually seen in the original play, this reinterpretation breathes life into her untold relationship with Juliet, sparking the idea of how Juliet’s journey navigating societal pressures and romantic entanglements might’ve unfolded differently with the guiding presence of sisterhood.

Roberts’s Rosaline is driven, sarcastic and perpetually on the verge of exploding as she deals with Juliet’s naive and impulsive decision-making (humorously punctuated by her chugging alcohol from the bottle to cope). Meanwhile, Juliet, retaining her familiar innocence and passion, is delusionally upbeat and portrayed by Lawman with a self-parodying edge that makes Juliet’s questionable antics all the more amusing and endearing.

The short comedy builds up to a well-timed plot twist revealing that Romeo Montague, the object of both Juliet and Rosaline’s affections, has been secretly courting them both. Rosaline, outraged by Romeo’s player behaviour – describing him as a “f*cking prick” and, more generously, an “unstable little poet” – is quickly over him and tries to convince Juliet to do the same. Just moments after the cousins vow to never speak to Romeo again, the next scene delivers a comedic jolt as Rosaline incredulously asks Juliet, “You married him?!”

Juliet’s idealistic persistence and Rosaline’s pragmatic realism mesh effortlessly, creating a dynamic that feels genuine and no doubt supported by the natural chemistry between the actresses. Grappling with whether Juliet’s choices are momentary lapses or genuine commitments to love, Rosaline’s tough love counsel to Juliet echoing feminist sentiments of self-worth and agency are deeply moving, ensuring emotional stakes are as compelling as the comedy.

Plainly set in Juliet’s room with a simple couch and vanity, the play remains engaging thanks to its brisk dialogue and sharp critique of patriarchal expectations. By making the events of Romeo & Juliet unfold offstage and portraying the male characters as inconsequential –highlighted humorously by Rosaline’s description of Paris as a “walking ick” who embarrassingly claps when the carriage lands – the cousins’ evolving relationship becomes the core of the love story, revealing the profound strength and complexity of their sisterly bond.

The play’s creative choices highlight the duo’s contrasting personalities perfectly: Rosaline struts in a fierce all-black ensemble with combat boots, while Juliet floats in an ethereal white dress and trainers. Even their dialogue, with Juliet’s flowery Shakespearean touches playing off Rosaline’s blunt, modern wit. Though their dreams diverge – Rosaline yearns for freedom and adventure, while Juliet craves comfort and security – they unite in their shared desire to remain in each other’s lives.

While the play delivers plenty of jokes for both Shakespeare aficionados and newcomers, one heavy question looms. Could it be that the original tragedy was compounded by an overlooked factor: the profound loss of a female bond that might have softened the narrative’s harsh edges?