Romeo and Juliet - Southwark Playhouse

[Jan]

Southwark Playhouse cashing in on the GCSE market. But why on earth would you set a schools production in 1981 ? You might as well set it in 1581, it would seem equally distant and irrelevant to a 16 year old. Maybe this is an example of my observation that middle-aged directors trying to direct a production aimed at the young set it in an era when they themselves were young. 

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ROMEO & JULIET (12 JAN - 5 FEB)

The first show we have opening up in 2022 is Romeo & Juliet, produced by us as part of our Shakespeare for Schools programme! This cool project enables us to offer free tickets to thousands of students attending state schools in London, and we can't wait to welcome them all in January.



1981. Margaret Thatcher. Skinheads. The Specials. Unemployment. Barbers. Madness. Rock Against Racism. Discos. Riots. Cabbies. The Selecter. This town is coming like a Ghost Town.



We're laying our scene in fair Brixton, and using the sounds of iconic 2-Tone music to bring this adaptation to life - read more about it and grab your tickets at the link below:

[Someone in a tree]

You are maybe right but I suspect kids will be interested in the 80's as it will link with older family members?
I was born in the 70's and previous generations have always fascinated me.


Also, if its a lefty director then it's good chance to grind the anti tory axe

[stevemar]

I’d seen this on the website before www.southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/show-whats-on/romeo-juliet/, and have to say most of “blurb” did not necessarily read to me as particularly aimed at schools, except the reference at the end (and now your quote Dr Jan Brock).

I also think they can appeal to 80s music lovers as noted here:

“Shakespeare’s timeless tale is set to some of the greatest sounds this country has ever created, exploring a generation of young people empowered by music and culture.”

They go on “This production is also part of our Shakespeare for Schools project, which will see over 2,000 local young people see the production for free at special matinee performances.”

I think it might well be more relevant in the 1980s to schools than what they might regard as “boring” 1580s. No doubt though it will appeal to the teachers!

[Jan]

Dec 24, 2021 11:38:50 GMT stevemar said:

I think it might well be more relevant in the 1980s to schools than what they might regard as “boring” 1580s. 

Believe me they regard the 1980s as boring too, they fall into the general classification of "the olden days". 

[stevemar]

[/quote]Believe me they regard the 1980s as boring too, they fall into the general classification of "the olden days". [/quote]

Indeed - to one extreme, anything not in the last year can be seen as “boring”. But take a story such as Billy Elliott - set in 1984 (or so) and the film and musical both very much depicting the politics of the time. So if there is a “universally” interesting story, it may still work to introduce just a little bit of recent history.

[Jan]

Your suggestion that it is calculated to appeal to the teachers is on the money. Anyway, it doesn’t seem to be primarily a schools production so I will probably go.

[cavocado]

Dec 24, 2021 12:26:22 GMT Jan said:

Dec 24, 2021 11:38:50 GMT stevemar said:

I think it might well be more relevant in the 1980s to schools than what they might regard as “boring” 1580s. 

Believe me they regard the 1980s as boring too, they fall into the general classification of "the olden days". 

While it's definitely 'olden days', there are subcategories within that. My teenage kids listen to lots of music from the 60s onwards, including various 80s bands, and I've been in vintage clothes shops with my daughter that are packed with clothes from the 80s and 90s. So I think this could be done in a way that teenagers will find appealing. But also true that it might appeal to parents and teachers.

[nick]

I was going to say something similar. My son is a bit older than gcse but he’s an aspiring musician and him and his friends are exploring 80s music. There’s also a bit of an 80s fashion revival atm.

[oxfordsimon]

It is a crass bit of marketing spiel. The use of the word 'cool' is enough to prove that it will be anything other than cool.

[Jan]

Has anyone seen this ? It opened a few days ago but there's only one paywalled review I can find for it.