Shakespeare’s classic Romeo and Juliet opened in San José last week, but with a twist.
The audience is taken to a restaurant called Verona, in which the waiter – the sole character in this version – tells the story of the star-crossed lovers with kitchen utensils.
Juliet is a red napkin, the Capulets are forks and the Montagues are knives. The one-man show was translated into Spanish by Pablo Neruda, and its staging benefits greatly from the use of culinary artistry.
“It’s a universal classic but we present it in a unique, fresh form,” actor Rubén Pagura said. “This is an innovative take on a story we are all familiar with and it’s very entertaining, even though the story is tragic.”
Pagura sings and creates the play’s music with kitchen utensils – water glasses, spoons and pots make up his ensemble. With the two tables that are on stage, the actor continuously builds the set for the various events in the plot.
In 2011, the play received national awards from the Culture Ministry. Pagura won Best Actor and Roberto White won Best Director.
The hour-long play shows at Teatro Eugene O’Neill in Barrio Escalante on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 5 pm. It runs through Sept. 2. General entrance is ₡5,000 ($10).
For more information or reservations, call 2207-7564.
