Romeo v Juliet by R.A. Spratt

Selby is the errant understudy for the lead role in the class production of Romeo and Juliet, but she almost totally focuses instead on her nominated role in the set crew – understandable given Selby has dyslexia. When the real Juliet fractures her spine, Ms Karim needs Selby to step-up into the part in just 2 days! Selby and Dan (her old tutor) do the unthinkable, because desperation causes them to risk trusting that Selby’s reading of the script will not result in time travel. It happened in Book 1 of the series after all. They couldn’t be more wrong.

In a flash they land in the middle of a street fight between the Montigues and the Capulets. When Selby sees firsthand the folly of the lovers who she observes meeting for the first time, she is determined to stop the tragedy by nipping it in the bud. Dan is less optimistic but appreciates that Selby is motivated to learn the part and perhaps get a passing grade.

As characters move back and forth between past and present worlds, we laugh out loud when they misconstrue events. However, Selby and her classmates analyse the play with more modern sensibilities including the feminist perspective. This Selby hopes show the lovers a glimpse of the future if they don’t change their misguided ambitions, by bringing them forward in time to watch class rehearsals. The real Romeo’s reaction to Barry ‘kissing his betrothed’ captures the immersion of audience members in live performances as a core function of the dramatic arts. We see this theme demonstrated so well in Maggie O’Farrell’s novel Hamnet and the film adaptation.

R.A. Pratt, author of Friday Barnes series amongst others has added Romeo V Juliet to her Shakespearian series which kicked off with the best selling,  "Hamlet is Not OK". In the epilogue she ends with the title of Book no 3, but more importantly we look forward to another witty and funny time travel adventure. 

Pratt has very cleverly written a narrative within a narrative as Dan and Shelby discuss the events, motivations and character traits resulting in their  intervention scheme for the Montiques and the Capulets. Can they avert the comedy of errors that leads to unspeakable tragedy of self-harm – doubly tragic for being unintentional? Romeo V Juliet is the perfect companion to the original play, affectively unpacking Shakespeare with teenagers because we have the privilege and stimulation of watching fictional contemporaries do it first. The idea of forbidden love is responsibly addressed by concluding with help-line contacts just in case the subject matter is triggering. 207 p.  

Themes: Shakespeare, Romance, School, Theatre, Drama, Tragedy, Time travel.

Deborah Robins