“In Carroll’s production, the meter is the master…The emotional qualities of the moment take a back seat to the formal qualities of the language – which, in turn, are supposed to convey those emotional qualities, and with more subtlety and complexity than any one actor’s performance could deliver.”

Coulbourn felt Romeo and Juliet’s relationship is rarely “brought to life.” He notes that Topham has “some lovely, if overly shrill, moments of girlish innocence”, while Briere appears “strangely and determinedly detached throughout”.

Nestruck notes that director Tim Carroll offers an original interpretation, adding…”If this production, opening Antoni Cimolino’s first season as artistic director, is a reaction to his predecessor Des McAnuff’s occasional inattentiveness to language, it is an overreaction.”

Portman identified a ” distressing lack of chemistry” between Briere and Topham as “Romeo and Juliet”. He credited Grant’s performance in “Measure for Measure”, but found “Rooney convinces us neither of Angelo’s fanatical obsession with ‘fornication and uncleanliness’ nor of his uncontrollable lust for Isabella.”

Greason didn’t enjoy the “original practices” use of lighting, as it “comes off as simply lazy, and the visible audience hurts the play’s intimacy.” He gives credit to the accurate acting, finding “Goad particularly shines as the ribald Mercutio.”

Monaghan found Carroll’s approach “makes the nearly three-hour show run a little more smoothly but stifles some of the emotion, from Romeo’s reaction to the riot to his discovery of Juliet in her tomb.” He calls the lighting “a memorable bit of stagecraft in an otherwise forgettable production.”

Hadley reviews “Romeo and Juliet”, “Blithe Spirit”, and “Mary Stuart”. He enjoyed the “original practices” method in “Romeo and Juliet”, but thought Briere “is not effective”. Hardley praises the “superb” cast of “Blithe Spirit” and states director “Cimolino has assembled one of Stratford’s best casts in years” for “Mary Stuart”.

Godfrey states ” It appears Mr. Carroll asked his cast to give it [iambic pentameter] a whirl, but only Tom McCamus (Friar Laurence) and Jonathan Goad (Mercutio) really use it consistently and to any advantage.” She felt the whole production “is an interesting experiment in time-travel…solidly acted for the most part.”

Alderson thought Topham and Briere “play the roles as the children they were intended to be. Topham is a juvenile 14, giggling her way throughout. Briere also seems very immature, smiling inappropriately much of the time…As a result the audience is not invested in their relationship; in fact, they seem to be infatuated school kids with crushes.”