Last night I enjoyed the Fabba theatre company performing ‘Romeo and Juliet’. Carolyn, who’s been with ‘Fabba’ since its formation in 2010 says: ‘Fabba is a theatre company where adults with learning difficulties can learn to work together, socialise and perform. It’s a life changing experience and we’re only just beginning.’
Fabba meets every Monday, and put on several shows each year. I’ve enjoyed many of them…
Shakespeare opens the play:
Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
Romeo and Juliet is a familiar story. Two warring households… a love story… two young people fall in love… they tragically die.
It’s a story that is so relevant today. I was delighted that Louise, the director, and the Fabba team succeeded to bring out so many familiar themes in a remarkable way.
It starts with division – two families don’t get on with each other… there’s prejudice, hatred, enmity, violence and ultimately death.
It’s about young people who go against their parents’ wishes… forbidden love and its potential consequences… plans that go wrong… teenage suicide when life gets unbearable.
At a deeper level it questions fate and our ultimate destiny… whether there was any escape for the two lovers… whether tragedy was inevitable.
Louise and her team did an excellent job creating a memorable show with sensitivity and understanding. What was most remarkable was that in a play that’s about…
….division and prejudice… the actors and backstage crew worked together in unity; folks with learning disabilities shone as being very special.
…love that can’t work… there was a demonstration of love that can work… a tangible care and compassion between all in the show
…sadness and death… the whole production shone with vibrancy, energy, joy and enthusiasm.
…inevitable tragedy… we saw again with Fabba that things can turn around… good can come out of apparent or potential bad… there’s always hope.
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