★★★☆☆
Written by Joyce and Niko
“Their tragic tale retold again as it has always been…” However, we were still uncertain as to what exactly to expect from Backyard Cinema’s presentation of Baz Luhrrman’s cult classic Romeo + Juliet…
The event began with a powerful opening by the groovy and captivating choir. They created a lively atmosphere, engaging the audience at moments to get involved by standing up and applauding. The supporting music throughout the evening made for an exciting set for the tale to unfold.
The order of service pronged on live performances, and the film, in parts, had a church-related theme, which added to the arrangement of the decor with candlelight and neon-lit crucifixes, giving that “Las Vegas” feel. Hosting the event at Albert Hall, a former chapel, was poetic.
The narrator, Kenton Craig, with his stage presence, brought each performance even more to life with his exuberance and introduced the parts of the film with flare and style.
The choir had many peak moments, such as renditions of ‘Everybody’s Free’ and ‘You Gotta Be’, which were exceptionally done and made the avid moviegoers feel free to dance in their seats and sing along before the well-known tale to come.
The sequences from the movie took an interesting format that essentially switched between live performances and the movie. The transitions from live performances to the movie were smooth, but at times, it had me questioning which one I wanted to see more. The show was expanded by the live musical renditions, and perhaps the format, which went on for three hours, with the choir parts performed independently, but they could have been integrated more into the film rather than at intervals where the movie was paused. But for viewers, the retold Romeo + Juliet movie starring Leonardo Di Caprio and Claire Danes was the highlight of the evening, which is the purpose of being there, to watch the movie.
Young and old can enjoy this experience that pushes the boundaries of what it means to watch a movie. The classic and original William Shakespeare tragedy was adapted into Baz Luhrmann’s acclaimed cult classic, and now Backyard Cinema’s innovative interpretation of the movie and its soundtrack adds to the film in a way that is emphatic yet simple.
This simplicity is good, and the impeccable voices of the choir made the Backyard Cinema experience one that pushes the boundaries but is equally worthwhile.
The simplicity also begs to question the two lovers’ elaborate plan and whether, from the days of old to the modern setting, whether in fiction or real life, how love can become confounded and overcomplicated by external forces outside of our control, such as families, rivalries and undelivered letters.
And internally, such as the young lovers’ desperation to be together that led to the tragedy of Romeo + Juliet.
Perhaps love is a choice made by our protagonists, as the story shows, that should be respected. I, for one, enjoyed this innovative retelling of the classic tale of “Romeo loves Juliet…” and vice versa.
Photo: @lfephoto (courtesy of Albert Hall)
JADAR 