Romeo and Juliet in the Park

Last Tuesday, the lovely Robin and I took in the free performance of Romeo and Juliet (ever heard of it?) at Oxford's uptown Martin Luther King Jr. park and amphitheater. The seven actors of the young company of the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company (which we have long loved and supported) presented the play in a contemporary setting (and a superhero theme for the costume ball scene). Their efforts were enthusiastic and entertaining, though the young leads (Kyle Brumley and Petrea Whittier) struggled at times, it seemed to me, to strike the right notes of gravitas and pathos (and probably several other Latin and Greek words, for all I know) for which their roles called. However, the weather and venue could not have been better--nor the company--and of course the guy who wrote the script did a darn good job. Whatever his name is (what's in a name, though...really?).

The Shakespeare in the Park performances of Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night's Dream continue through September 4. The schedule is here.