Juliet & Romeo | Q&A with Emily Terndrup & John Kendal

Shakespeare’s play doesn’t allow either Romeo or Juliet to live past their teenage years so they are adults in our world for the very first time. What adult themes are negotiated in the play and what are the main differences between Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and Ben Duke’s characters?

EMILY: In our version, they’re adults who’ve lived fuller, messier lives. They’ve experienced disappointments, compromises, and many realities that their younger, more sheltered selves never had to face. They’ve shared decades and have a child together, so there’s a very different kind of intimacy between them – it’s deeper, more complicated, less idealised than the passionate and more aspirational love of Shakespeare’s teenagers. Our version negotiates the complexities of all these themes with a lot of humor and compassion.

JOHN: I think what we realise through Ben’s adaptation of an older Juliet and Romeo is just how whirlwind Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet’s romance was. They’re seen as the ultimate symbol of love yet they were only really together for three days and barely knew each other. In our version they are much older, they have a daughter and they’re dealing with all the rigours that come with raising a child and forging a long lasting relationship.

Do you like your character? Do we like your character?

EMILY: I have a huge affection for this Juliet. She’s funny, energetic and passionate, but she’s also a bit of a fantasist and struggles with the gap between the life she imagined and the life she’s ended up with. She’s quite complicated. There are aspects of her that would be challenging to live with as a friend or romantic partner, certainly. But I absolutely love being her for the time onstage each evening. She lives and reacts in such an uninhibited way, and it’s a joy to have permission to inhabit that.  

JOHN: I do like Romeo yes. I think Juliet is the driving force behind wanting to try this latest method of understanding the relationship problems we – as Juliet and Romeo – face. Whilst not really being fully convinced Romeo is willing to try and fix the problems they both have, I sympathise with him and feel like he’s pretty earnest and does want to make things work.

Do you find that audiences root for the couple? Do they want them to overcome their differences and re-establish their love for each other or are they thinking that this is probably the end of a 20-year marriage?

EMILY: I think people definitely root for them. Whether that means staying together as a couple, or finding a different future apart is another question entirely – one that each person might feel differently about.Everyone brings their own experiences of love, marriage and relationships into the theatre, so audience responses can be very personal. People often feel strongly about the ending, and I love hearing the different interpretations afterwards. There’s no single answer, which I think is part of what makes the piece so satisfying.

JOHN: Yes! I think they totally root for the couple. There have been lots of occasions at the end of the show where audiences really want to know whether we do stay together or not so for me that would be a sign that they’re invested in our plight and willing for a resolution of sorts.

You recently performed the show in Canada – do you experience different audience reactions in different countries?

EMILY: Absolutely. Audiences in China respond differently from audiences in Canada, Italy, France or the UK. Sometimes the differences are subtle, sometimes they’re very noticeable. A line that always gets a huge laugh might barely seem to register somewhere else, or a particular moment can carry a completely different emotional weight. We don’t always know why. But it has been very encouraging to see that all audiences do seem to connect with the intimacy, the humour, the physicality, and the emotional depth of Ben’s work.

JOHN: We’ve taken the show internationally to Norway, China, France, Italy and Canada. When we perform it in non-English-speaking countries we have surtitles projected. But wherever we perform the show it’s always been met with a great reaction.  Romeo & Juliet is a story that’s recognised universally and the trials and tribulations of any relationship – whether romantic or otherwise – are also something that many people in the audience have first-hand experience of and can relate to. As a result, I feel that sets up the show well to work in many different countries. Actually there are a few instances where we’ve tweaked the show slightly so it makes more sense in a different culture, but on the whole the shows stays pretty much as is.

What is it about the show that you particularly like as an actor, dancer, performer?

EMILY: I love that I get to do so much, to feel so much. I get to dance and to act, to work with text and a wonderful partner – I can be overjoyed, devastated, furious and delighted all within the space of an hour. It’s an extraordinary emotional and physical range to explore.The real privilege is taking a theatre full of strangers on that journey and feeling them experience it alongside you. Being part of a show that connects with audiences so directly and deeply is incredibly rewarding.

JOHN: What I like about Juliet & Romeo – and more widely working with Ben Duke – is the ability of the show to allow for options. Often dance and theatre are seen as separate entities with dancers wanting to dance and actors wanting to act!  But Ben’s work allows for dance and theatre to align and allows us, as performers, to pull apart well-known narratives and delve into the work through marrying text and movement.

When you’re not touring and performing, what do you do on your days off? 

EMILY: A lot of stretching, massages, yoga – general body maintenance. I love going to the theatre, reading, and doing puzzles of all kinds. I always trying to carve out time to write as well; I usually have a few creative projects humming away in the background. I also love cooking. At the moment I’m working on perfecting my ramen recipe, hoping to start baking bread in the coming months.
 
JOHN: Between touring schedules I like rambling, cycling, reading and have recently bought a camera so I like to get out and take photos as much as possible. I also teach dance at an asylum seekers camp in Braintree.

Are you looking forward to performing at Bristol Old Vic?

EMILY: I visited Bristol a few years ago with my husband for a weekend away, and loved the city. It has a great energy and vibe. Really looking forward to getting back there and performing, especially as we have a weeklong run there!

JOHN: I’ve heard great things about Bristol over the years but have never managed to get there! I also have a very dear friend living there too but we always meet in Newcastle, nearer to where I live. So I’m really looking forward to visiting. It’ll also be the first me he sees me perform so that’ll be very special.