★★★★★
Adelaide Fringe. The Barbara Hardy Garden @ Holden Street Theatres. 22 Feb 2025
Following last year's raging success of Hamlet in 15 Minutes, Peter Goers has assembled another brilliant Shakespearean cast to make his very own super funnybones of the old Bard’s greatest works.
Romeo and Juliet in 15 Minutes has a similar format with the cast seated under the trees facing an audience tucked under the verandah.
It’s all fast and furious with comedic op-shop costumes, quick changes, a spot of song and dance and some downright silliness while still staying true to the timeless tragedy.
There’s a choreographer called Annie Gaborit behind the scenes there somewhere. She’s a secret ingredient to this speedy folly.
The star ingredients are members of a delicious and generous-spirited cast. They are proper actors. It takes a good actor to make fun of acting; Deborah Caddy and Brian Wellington, for instance. These theatre veterans play the matriarch and patriarch of both sparring houses and parents of Romeo and Juliet. Christopher Cordeaux charmed last year as Hamlet and this Fringe he’s just a bit of a pin-up as Romeo. The interactions with Juliet are as seriously touching as the production is comedic. Sadness in silliness.
Juliet is exquisitely played by Ruby Patrich and, boy, is she a new talent to watch.
Leighton Vogt is a familiar name on the Adelaide stage, and he gifts this show with a death scene to die for. Archie Rowe is so far less renowned but, oh, so handsome and dashing and funny in his several noble roles. Last but never least is Rob Cusenza as Juliet’s old nurse. Cusenza is a natural clown, and, in a hideous pink wig, he milks the play for all its worth, while David O’Brien gets the really fun part of unpriestly priest. No plot spoilers. Go see him.
Go see it with Goers in his bespoke Director’s chair and red kimono, adding gags and calling the shots.
It’s a clever little treat. A $10 cherry on top of the brilliantly curated Holden Street Fringe program.
Samela Harris
When: 22 Feb to 23 Mar
Where: The Barbara Hardy Garden @ Holden Street\
Bookings: adelaidefringe.com.au
