NEW IDEA OF ROLES OF ROMEO. AND JULIET

Chronicle (Levin), 10 April 1947, Page 2

NEW IDEA OF ROLES OF ROMEO. AND JULIET

(Special Corrcspondent.) LONDON, April 9. Considerabic controversy has been aroused by a new conception of the paris of Konieo and Juliet presented when the Bti'atford-on-Avon annual Shapeslceare festival opened with this play. The produeer, 21-year-old Peter Brook, eontcnds that for the first -time in this generation, the play has been presented as Shakespeare intended • with Roineo and Juliet presented as two very youthful lovers lost in a jnalestrom of great and passionate eveiits around .thern. He insists that. the traditional representation in which the charatcers of the two lovers doiuin'ale the play is misleading, and that Shakespeare coneeived the play as' a whole, with liomeo and Juliet as important, but not dominating parts. The leading lady, 18-year-old Daphne Slater, was criticised for portraying Juliet as an emotiqnial' schoolgirl, but Broolc insists that this is his conception of the part and that Miss Slatei merely played to orders. He contended that ■ the " violence, fire, and sex" of the production shoeked only outnioded Victorian romanti'c conceptions. yir Barry Jackson, director of the theatrc, said.he welcomed the controversy, because'rSliakespeare wasn't for inteilectual snobs or pantomine fans. He felt sure that Broolc and Miss Slater would succeec|,( .. because they were' so sinccre. ' H