Review | Romeo & Juliet | The Grange Theatre, Hartford | 02 October 2025
There’s a reason Romeo & Juliet has endured for more than 400 years. Shakespeare’s tale of young love against family feuds and devastating consequences remains timeless. At Grange Theatre, this contemporary interpretation gets off to an impressive start. The brutalist concrete effect set immediately signals that this won’t be your traditional Shakespeare.
Regional accents breathe new life into the text, making the language feel both accessible and relatable. Where so many productions go wrong with Romeo & Juliet, is with inappropriate casting for the teenage lovers. Here however, the casting feels couldn’t have been more perfect with Olly Rhodes and Bea Glancy as Romeo and Juliet.
Rhodes is utterly magnetic as Romeo, completely stealing the show with an infectious energy that is beautifully balanced by moments of vulnerability. There’s a real star quality to his performance, and I’ll be very interested to see where his career takes him next. Glancy is equally engaging as Juliet, and together they share a convincing chemistry that gives their relationship both youthful charm and believability. The wider company is solid, although a handful of performances occasionally feel a little too heightened.
The production takes a little time to find its rhythm, with the first act feeling longer than perhaps is necessary. The pace however picks up considerably in the second, where the production really comes alive and becomes increasingly gripping as the tragedy unfolds. As with Grange Theatre’s Macbeth last year, the lighting design is a particular highlight, creating atmosphere which help elevate some of the key moments. There are also some lovely touches of underscoring and use of sound, although I found myself wishing these had been used more throughout.
While much of the costuming embraces a modern day aesthetic, Lady Capulet’s more traditional outfits feel somewhat at odds with this approach. Alongside a brutalist set that avoids placing the production to a particular time period, the intentions can occasionally feel unclear. There’s an interesting contemporary vision here, but I found myself wishing it had been pushed a little further and embraced more consistently, which may have given the production an even stronger sense of identity.
Ultimately, this is a production with plenty to admire, even if you’re left wishing it had pushed its ideas a little further. When the last Romeo & Juliet in the West End had tickets costing upwards of £200, seeing this professional regional production for just £30 is an absolute bargain. Hartford is lucky to have Grange Theatre on its doorstep, and I can’t wait to see what they do next year.
Romeo & Juliet plays at The Grange Theatre in Hartford until Saturday 10 October 2026.
Note: My ticket was gifted in exchange for a review. This review is based on my honest opinion alone and is without influence.
