REVIEW: ROSALINE AND JULIET Camden Fringe festival at The Lion & Unicorn Theatre 29 July - 1 Aug

“You couldn’t write it.” ★★★★

A fresh and engaging comedy with exemplary performances from its female leads.

Rosaline and Juliet are cousins and BFF’s. Unbeknownst to them, Romeo Montague has wooed them both. The night of the Capulet ball is the night they discover that while secretly courting Rosaline for the last few weeks, he has now thrown her over for Juliet (after meeting her “just chillin’ by the fish tank”), and even the fact that he has good hair can’t detract from the fact that he’s behaved like a clophole.

Ros, who wears combat boots and “male apparel”, is streetwise and savvy in contrast to her cheerfully naive and unworldly cousin Juliet. As the play progresses, Ros goes from warning her cousin of the consequences of romancing Romeo, to trying to talk her out of faking her own death. 

This is an inventive, modern take on Romeo & Juliet, with an underlying feminist message of sisterly bonds and knowing your own self-worth. It feels like a behind-the-scenes, as the main events of Romeo & Juliet play out off-stage, and we see Ros counsel Juliet in-between, trying to steer her through one disastrous decision after another.

“Rosaline and Juliet” is a joyous depiction of female friendship and has plenty of skilfully comedic moments, from Ros necking a bottle of wine to Juliet worrying about school catchment areas, as the two cousins debate the pros and cons of Juliet’s speedy romance with Romeo and the fatal fallout.

This is a smart and polished production, from the elegant set to the fast-paced and witty script. The superb comedic timing of both actresses, Lara Lawman and Lily Roberts, who also wrote it, make this a delight to watch.

There’s plenty of in jokes for Shakespeare fans and ample to keep those unfamiliar with Shakespeare’s plays entertained.

If you like Shakespeare, if you like comedy, if you like strong female characters, then this is for you.

ROSALINE AND JULIET Camden Fringe festival, Presented by Tale Blazers At The Lion & Unicorn Theatre 29 July - 1 Aug

Box Office: https://camdenfringe.com/events/rosaline-and-juliet/

Instagram: @taleblazerstc

Reviewer Annie Power is the Artistic Director of Open Page Productions, and an award-winning writer and producer.