Yellowknife’s Borderless Art Movement is inviting residents to experience Shakespeare in a whole new way with its latest production, Romeo and Juliet: The Abbreviated Version.
Performances take place at 7:30pm on February 6-7 at the city’s Northern Arts and Cultural Centre.
Jeremy Findlay plays every character in the production, moving rapidly between roles throughout the performance. Findlay said performing multiple characters is something he has done many times with the Borderless Art Movement – styled BAM! for short – and the idea felt like a natural fit for this show.
Findlay said the script, written by Jen Walden and based on William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, stays true to the original story while giving it a modern context.
Music is performed live by the BAM! Community Orchestra, directed by Jo Pamplin and Sean Robson, featuring Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony and selections from Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet suites.
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A mural is created live during the performance by four local visual artists.
“It’s really something to watch because it’s not just four people standing beside each other, painting,” said Findlay.
“They switch positions – one will start painting something, move on, someone else will come in and finish what they’ve started.
“It’s all reflecting what’s going on with the music and the dance on stage, so it’s great because it’s different every time. They come up with some really amazing pieces of art that way.”
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Findlay is particularly looking forward to showing off the production’s costumes, including the rapid switches to be made between appearing as Romeo and Juliet. He added the quick changes help keep the performance energetic and visually engaging.
The production also features performances by the Yellowknife Dance Collective. Dancers appear throughout the show, responding to both the music and the narrative as it develops on stage. At its core, Findlay said, the goal of the show is simple: to give audiences an enjoyable experience.
This year marks the 16th season in which BAM! has presented this type of production in Yellowknife. Tickets for this show cost $25 and are available via the NACC website.
Findlay said BAM! is one of the city’s longest-running arts organizations and the work behind the scenes is significant, with months of rehearsals for musicians, dancers and visual artists.
Pamplin said it wasn’t possible to do the whole play within 70 minutes, which sparked the idea of a one-man act performing an abbreviated version.
According to her, planning for the show started last summer and the orchestra began rehearsals right after Thanksgiving.
“It has some challenging music in it,” she said.
“The Prokofiev is very challenging. It’s dissonant, with long sections for that move towards a resolution, and there’s a lot of timing changes.
“It allowed us to push our comfort envelope. Everybody has done really, really well with it. I think it’s going to be really fun.”
