Romeo and Juliet
THE GLOBE
ABOUT
Max composed music for the 2021 production of Romeo and Juliet at The Globe Theatre in London.
Director: Ola Ince
Designer: Jacob Hughes
Composer: Max Perryment
Movement director: Aline Davis
Fight director: RC Annie
Photographer: Marc Brenner
CAST
Sils Carson, Beth Cordingly, Will Edgerton, Alfred Enoch, Adam Gillen, Clara Indrani, Sirine Saba, Rebekah Murrell, Dwane Walcott, Zoe West & Sargon Yelda.
Musicians
Tomoya Forster, Miguel Gorodi, Richard Henry, Calie Hough & Victoria Rule
PRESS
★★★★ ‘Bold…clever, energetic!’ The Guardian
★★★★★ ‘Urgent, vibrant production’ The Review Hub
★★★★★ ‘Bold visceral…unmissable’ What’s Good to do
★★★★ ‘Vital take on a classic’ My Theatre Mates
★★★★ ‘Current and exciting’ Culture Whispers
‘The runaway highlight of this production is the band, which almost adds an extra charismatic character, particularly with its percussive sounds. There are witty trombones and trumpets played alongside punkishly performed numbers … Max Perryment’s music raises the drama in fight scenes, while the Capulet ball is a cabaret … Mercutio’s Queen Mab speech is delivered against a single drum, beaten in time to its iambic pentameter.’ The Guardian
Music plays a huge role and Max Perryment's composition provides a great soundscape, complete with copious use of brass sections. The ball scene is conducted almost entirely through music and song, rather than dialogue, taking musical influences from Arctic Monkeys, Basement Jaxx and even Lionel Richie. Broadway World
The most audacious scene is the Ostermeier-ish Capulet ball… and virtually all of Shakespeare’s text is replaced by a series of raucous punk rock songs from composer Max Perryment that mash tunes by the likes of Arctic Monkeys to the odd snippet of original verse. Technically Romeo and Juliet do still woo each other by song – but it feels like Ince has gleefully dynamited the scene. Time Out