Trucks and diggers star as Romeo and Juliet in a giant play by an Estonian theatre group. Blocking the world of teen romance out of his mind, Jaakko Meitus points to a four-metre-tall concrete head that will go on the stage in a Shakespearean production like no other. The production Romula ja Julia is a variant of the classic tragedy, in which actors have been replaced by machinery. It was filmed outdoors, at an old abandoned limestone quarry amid verdant fields and meadows.
2 days Ago By Oskar Malec
A Love Story on Wheels
Juliet is depicted by a red Ford pickup in this contemporary reimagination, with Romeo played by the rally truck. More than a dozen vehicles, including buses, fire engines and city lorries, perform the narrative with movement, gestures and music across improvised stands.
There may be a dearth in dialogue, but it doesn't miss out on the emotional delivery. Iconic moments of scenes, such as the classic duel between Tybalt and Mercutio, are showcased as two excavators clash their mechanical arms, and in a moment of biting drama, a car is sent over the edge of a cliff.
While many in the audience were sceptical at first, they walked out impressed. "Not going to lie, I went into it expecting it to be super cheesy but like …. It was great," said Maia Maisate. Maia Pussim, another onlooker, chimed in: "As much as it was cars, it had a sweetness to it and light… the vibe was preserved pretty well."
Emotions Need No Words, Just Shakespeare
The wordless production — on at the venue until Sunday — Rather, it leans on a backing track of fireworks bursting and tunes like Lovefool by The Cardigans to indicate the emotional peaks and troughs of the tale.
The show's creative aim is to explore the question of what it means to do Shakespeare in today and whether ways can be discovered to reinvent it, Kinoteater co-director Paavo Piik said. He said that operating carefully with huge machines, making the impact of this gentle action all the more fascinating. Can big vehicles even be possible to bring everything for emotions like love? And that was the direction we wanted to drill into.
Copyright @ 2024 IBRA Digital