The Stratford Zoo Midnight Revue Presents Romeo and Juliet

After the zoo keepers have closed the premises, the animals congregate for a special performance of Romeo and Juliet. Audience members chatter exitedly, waiting for the show. The curtain opens. The play begins.

The classic plot of Romeo and Juliet is adapted for a younger audience. For example, Romeo and Juliet are “best friends”, not married; Mercutio dies of embarrassment; and Juliet pretends to hibernate, not kill herself. These adaptations not only render the plot more accessible, but also funny. All the characters in this graphic novel adaptation are animals, both the actors and the audience; the animals in the audience punctuate the story with explanations and humor. The side story of a spat between a lamb and a monkey illustrates the applicability of Shakespeare to modern life – these two discover how important it is to reject alienating stereotypes. Illustrations are brightly colored and drawn to amuse, not terrify, and the drama has been extremely tamed, and applied so that even the youngest readers will understand the basic plot outline. Younger readers especially will enjoy the both illustrations and the animals’ antics as they are exposed to the classic story of Romeo and Juliet.