Shakespeare 4 Kidz ROMEO AND JULIET
 
Grand Opera House - York (touring)
 
Some things are indeed just what they say on the tin. Shakespeare 4 Kidz, the country’s national Shakespeare company for children and young people, pulls no punches, hurls no surprises, and does not try to be over-clever. And the simple ethos will, on the strength of this show, inspire younger audiences to investigate the Bard’s work in more detail when they come of age.

The company take Shakespeare’s well-plotted tale of star-crossed lovers and throw in the kind of magic that children expect to see but rarely get when they walk into a theatre. The overall mix falls between a well-produced panto, anarchic Saturday morning children’s television and a Disney-style musical. Some would say that, in stripping away much of the dialogue and inserting some schmaltz, this Romeo and Juliet has been dumbed down more than is strictly necessary. But the audience’s attention is held throughout, leading one to consider that, perhaps, this is just the kind of introduction that teachers and their charges require.

A sense that we are all in on the game is brought to the production by the theatrical buffoonery of Gary McErlane, Jamie Anderson and Emma Bennett - Benvolio, Mercutio and Nurse respectively.

Amid the jumble of ballads, rock’n’roll and some decent if not exactly spectacular vocals that occasionally get lost in the mix, the themes and issues for discussion back in class later, remain. It certainly will not put any youngsters off Shakespeare, which is more than can be said for many other productions up and down the country.

Dave Windass