Product Description

Dominic Dromgoole's production brings refreshing clarity to one of Shakespeare's most famous and best-loved tragedies. Filmed before a live audience at Shakespeare's Globe in the heart of London, its intimate and atmospheric setting adds immediacy and vitality to the humour and passion of Shakespeare's verse. Filmed in High Definition and true surround sound.

Extra features: Cast gallery and Famous Speeches

Production
Company: Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre
Stage Director: Dominic Dromgoole

Disc Information
Catalogue Number: OABD7062D
Date of Performance: 2009
Running Time: 171 minutes
Sound: 2.0 PCM & 5.1 DTS
Aspect Ratio: 1080i High Definition / 16:9
Subtitles: EN (in Shakespearean English)
Label: Opus Arte

Review

"...I've attended several different performances at this Globe, and have found myself transported back to Elizabethan days, when audiences braved the elements (and there are a lot elements in the Pacific Northwest, as there are in merrie old England) to actually take part in a performance in perhaps a much more visceral way than today's polite, "separated" audiences do, ensconced as they are on the other side of that magical fourth wall. That interaction between audience and actor is fully on display in this 2009 production of Shakespeare's venerable Romeo and Juliet, performed at the real Globe Theater...

What impresses most about this production is its straightforward approach to the text and the staging. While it's true that Edun and Kendrick may not quite be at the level one would hope for, overall this is a presentation thankfully free of directorial conceit, one which honors the timeless verse without any "vision" imposed on it by Dromgoole. What may also come as a surprise to a lot of viewers of this production is how funny it is at times. Yes, funny. Some of that is due to some sexually provocative business (things like "stroking" a sword, for example), but Dromgoole manages to evince quite a bit of humor out of passing lines that, when simply read, may not fully reveal their comedic intent. It proves in a subtle way that Shakespeare, despite his florid language, never lost sight of the fact that he was there to engage and entertain his audience.

Romeo and Juliet is presented on this Opus Arte Blu-ray with an AVC encode in "live" 1080i and a 1.78:1 aspect ratio. This is a splendidly colorful and well detailed Blu-ray, with a gorgeously saturated palette fully on display especially in the lovely costumes. Detail is very impressive in this regard, with everything from the interwoven textures of Romeo's blisteringly red shirt to the drab, everyday workclothes of the Nurse well rendered. It's interesting to note the subtle changes in ambient light as this production wends its way from what appears to be afternoon into dusk. While admittedly minor, these small changes show what brilliant resolution the Blu-ray format can offer, even in terms of minutiae like this. Flesh tones are accurate (there's quite a bit of variety here, from Kendrick's extremely pale skin to Edun's black skin), and no interlacing artifacts were apparent...

It's encouraging to see Opus Arte branching out and beginning to release these Globe Theater productions. While this initial release has a few problems, it still offers a wonderfully vibrant recreation of what an Elizabethan audience may have experienced. Overlook the occasional shortcomings of Edun and Kendrick and the rest of this production is quite engaging." -- Blu-ray.com -

• Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 1.77:1
• Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
• Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 0.7 x 7.5 x 5.4 inches; 3.2 ounces
• Director ‏ : ‎ Dominic Dromgoole
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Blu-ray, Classical, Widescreen, NTSC, Multiple Formats
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 51 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ May 25, 2010
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Holly Atkins, Andrew Vincent, Philip Cumbus, Michael O'Hagan, Tom Stuart
• Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English
• Language ‏ : ‎ English (DTS 5.1)
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Opus Arte
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1