Dream in High Park: Romeo & Juliet

It's been years since I've been to Dream in High Park, and it's been awhile since I've seen a Shakespeare play. I promise you that I'm not saying this out of bias, but this was up there with some of the most interesting, engaging, and downright amazing Shakespeare that I've seen of my admittedly limited viewings. I was worried when I first heard of the play within-a-play aspect of the show, but it goes away quickly enough and then, really, it's all about the real play. Not to say that the setting of the show in a train station doesn't work, it actually allows for the doubling of roles, and simplicity of the sets, and makes that really smooth. There were some clever nods to the doubling within that as well.
For me the supporting stand-outs were Clinton Walker as Mercutio/Capulet, as well as Ron Kennell, who has the coveted role of the Nurse, who if you're familiar with the play, know that it always has the potential to be a scene stealer. He's fantastic in this. It would be so easy to overdo it, but he handles it just so.
And now to our Romeo and Juliet. Jeff Irving plays Romeo as a teenager, which Romeo is. And does it ever work. I mean this play doesn't work unless you buy into the romantic delusions, which really only make sense if these two are, in fact, love lorn teenagers, tired of being told what they can and can't do. He brings this really nice naivity to the role that I've never seen before, and he throw tantrums with the best of them. A pleasure to watch, truly. And then there is Christine Horne. For those of you who follow this with any regularity you know that I've worked with Christine, and I consider her a friend, so while there absolutely is some level of bias here, I don't care. She was brilliant. As I told her after the show, I loved seeing the fourteen year old Christine Horne come alive on stage. I could go on and on, but I'd rather you go see it for yourself.
It's only on for a few more days, but if you've been putting it off, get your ass to High Park before the 6th, or live to regret seeing one of the most exciting and engaging stagings of this show with some of the most talented performers in the city.
Loved it.