When I first watched “Romeo & Juliet” at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, I was a bit taken aback. It wasn’t exactly the Shakespearean classic I was used to. Directed by Saheem Ali, it features a Spanish translation by Alfredo Michel Modenessi. In this bilingual production, the cast, the titular Romeo and Juliet especially, speak to each other in Spanish at times. Ali chose to make this classic something different, to make a statement on how Spanish-speaking people are mistreated in this country by ICE, and on the absurdity of the border wall. He sets it in Nueva Verona, to evoke the tension felt today in U.S.-Mexico border communities. Banners with the slogan “Defund the Wall” are displayed during confrontational moments between the Montagues and the Capulets. There is a replica of the border wall. Ali takes aim at the political and cultural division in this country and has the audience sit in it.
Ali decided to make this production Spanish-friendly and word must have gotten around — a decent portion of the audience was clearly Spanish-speaking, laughing and enjoying the play along with everyone else. Shakespeare was being given to an audience who may not have experienced his brilliance before and it was being done in a way that made them feel welcome.
This country, with this administration, is trampling on the rights of Spanish-speaking people and making them feel like they don’t have a right to be here. People are even afraid at times to go out to public events, so it was nice to see so many Latinx people in the audience. The production interwove Spanish and English lines; though I must admit that at times it was a bit difficult for me to understand what was being said, since I don’t speak Spanish. However, Shakespeare’s classic is something that we all know very well and you could sense what was happening through the emotional displays of the characters.
While Ali wanted to take a political stand and present a play that spotlighted and celebrated Latinx culture and language, I would have appreciated English subtitles when Spanish was being spoken. Perhaps he could do that in the future.
This play has a well-seasoned cast of racially diverse actors that brings this production to life and again shows that we can all live and thrive together. It stars Ra’Mya Latiah Aikens as Juliet and Daniel Bravo Hernandez as Romeo. Their chemistry is on fire. They are joined on stage by LaChanze; Glenn Fleshler; Mariand Torres; Jason Manuel Olazabal; Deirdre O’Connell; Francis Jue; Caleb Joshua Eberhardt; Zack Lopez Roa; Ariyan Kassam; Martin K. Lewis; Reece Dos Santos; Jessica Pimentel; Rachel Crowl; Andres Nicolas Chaves and Sergio Mauritz Ang; Marlon Xavier and a wonderful ensemble cast. The production plays through June 28 only.
