LP: This is the first production performed at Ashville that has been completely written by yourself, so why did you chose Romeo and Juliet as your first for Ashville?
KB: Eternal Flame, my first ever Ashville production was written by me, but only the script – the music was purely 80s cheese that I wouldn’t dare try and recreate (you can’t top perfection). This production of Romeo and Juliet is a different kettle of fish and a real nerve-wracking experience for me. I wrote the music and pretty much adapted the rest from Shakespeare – I know it works, I have done a slightly different version of it before, but to share it here at Ashville in front of such talented musicians on both the staff and pupil roll and to have such outstanding singers who can harmonise at the drop of a hat has been nothing short of stressful – I’m just a Drama teacher who can play a bit of piano, guitar and drums. But I love it. I’ve always had a special place in my heart for Romeo and Juliet and, after having written musical versions of Macbeth, Alice in Wonderland, Kind Hearts and Coronets, The Fifteen Streets, The Canterbury Tales and a collection of Edwardian Ghost Stories, I couldn’t resist turning to my favourite play. Of all the musicals I have written, this is the one I am most proud of and the one I wanted to share with Ashville the most.. It was also my Dad’s favourite of my musicals. Sadly, he died last Summer, so I just had to do it – I couldn’t not.
LP: Do you think the language Shakespeare uses makes this play harder for an audience to relate to, or would you say that the acting and gestures help ‘translate’ this?
KB: I genuinely believe that, if the actor understands what they are saying, then the audience will too. Each of our actors has really embraced the language and the acting style – they have worked tirelessly to bring Shakespeare’s characters to life and the way in which they approach the delivery of their lines accompanied by gesture, posture, facial expression and intonation, really helps the communication of the meaning and the audience cannot help but empathise with the tragedy. Of course, this is helped somewhat by the fact that all of the songs are folk rock/pop songs with fairly contemporary language, and I have tried my hardest to write emotionally charged melodies with sweeping orchestrations to really try and pull on the heart strings!
LP: Sadly, we didn’t have time for all five acts of Romeo and Juliet. Did you find it hard to abridge the play and keep all the key moments?
KB: It’s really difficult to decide which bits to keep and which bits to lose. I make no apologies for the fact that it still has quite a long runtime (about 2 hours 30 ish) because there are bits that you simply cannot ignore – Romeo and Juliet is filled with iconic moments! I have tried to condense some of the scenes into songs and this also seems to have decreased the runtime a bit!
LP: Out of the three big whole school productions you’ve done at Ashville so far, which has been your favorite to do and why?
KB: I have loved them all so far for very different reasons… Eternal Flame was my introduction to Ashville and my sense of humour. Charlie Brown was a welcome return to live performance after lockdown and a chance to just celebrate life. This one, however, has easily been my favourite so far. I have so much invested in Romeo and Juliet and I have loved how every single member of the cast has bought into it and has invested so much of themselves too.
LP: The mystery surrounding what will come next is legendary (at least among Ashville’s drama community) so, any clues as to next year’s show?
KB: Absolutely not – you will have to wait until the final performance of Romeo and Juliet on the Saturday night when all will be revealed…