Despite COVID-19, Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand (SGCNZ) has done it again – producing the National Shakespeare Schools Production (NSSP) 2021. The 40-minute excerpts are rehearsed over five half days, with students attending workshops with local Shakespeare professionals and performance specialists over the other half days. This year, at Sky Stadium, we see scenes from Romeo and Juliet, Henry IV Part 1 and Measure for Measure, finishing with a song, a waiata and a haka.

This year has been hit just as hard as last year by COVID-19, especially with the changing of levels and rules. 11 performers had to be replaced last minute, due to their residing in Level 3 zones, and two directors were replaced. When Covid-related issues suddenly parliament buildings withdrawn for the scheduled second performance, Dawn Sanders, the CEO of SGCNZ, had to scramble to find another venue (Te Whaea happily opened its doors). Due to some of the performers being replaced, some of the actors read from scripts, which is something, I am told, they felt embarrassed by; nevertheless they maintain a great connection to their audience and their characters. Well done.

The first excerpt is from Romeo and Juliet, directed by Mel Cook, one of the directors who stepped in to replace the former director. We start with a tableau, showcasing the story as Captain Prince (Phoebe Rolleston) presents the prologue. The players create a lively and fun atmosphere with singing ‘Wanna Be’ (by the Spice Girls) down the aisles and wearing outrageous costume pieces like hot pink pants.

This version of Romeo and Juliet has two sets of the titular couple. First, Ngahuia Riddell gives a lively Romeo and Brooke McCloy shows off Juliet’s sweet and demure side. Riddell doesn’t deepen their voice to try to be more masculine and therefore is not playing Romeo as a boy. It is refreshing to see them as a queer couple on stage, professing their love to each other – we even get a queer kiss! Brava to Riddell and McCloy, as on-stage kissing can be a daunting task for any actor.

The second couple are Darius Martin-Baker as Romeo and Mathew Lee as Juliet. The transition between the couples is expertly realised at the wedding scene, with the actors ceremoniously removing a character-identifying piece of clothing and dressing the new actors in them. This signifies to the audience that after Romeo and Juliet are married, they are different people, bound to each other. It also helps us understand in a visual way why Romeo doesn’t want to attack Tybalt initially, because he has become his cousin by marriage. Martin-Baker does a great job showing the liveliness of Romeo, like his counterpart Riddell, but is also given the opportunity to show his hot-headedness. Although Lee is dressed in similar clothes to McCloy – a pleated skirt and a sweater vest – Lee doesn’t change the pitch of his voice to play Juliet as a girl. He speaks normally, giving greater nuance to this version of the character, one that is proudly genderqueer, as indicated by the costuming (by River Chateris-Wright).

While both Romeos wear a purple shirt under their leather jacket, overall, I do wish there were stronger visual links to divide the Capulets from the Montagues. Outside of the Romeos, there are only small purple or silver bandanas displayed as arm bands or around necks to signify the two gangs.

The next play is Henry IV Part 1, directed by Peter Hambleton, who also stepped in at the last minute. In this version, there are a couple of interesting choices. For one, instead of the original Welsh which Owen Glendower (Mahanga Mitchell) speaks, and Lady Mortimer (Alyssa Dalope) speaks and sings, we have te reo Māori. I find this incredibly compelling and wish more New Zealand productions of Shakespeare in particular, which can be played in many ways and adaptions, incorporate te reo Māori and therefore help us explore our colonial past.

Another interesting choice is to have multiple Prince Hals (Zac Bell, Alyssa Dalope, Heather Wright, and Nicholas Harman) and Falstaffs (James Morland, Taya Flame-Sparrow, Laura Cowles). Sometimes the transitions between the actors are clear and work well, like ripping off a ‘Prince Hal’ sticker and slapping it on the new actor’s chest, or having the Falstaffs in a red dressing gown. However, the stickers weren’t large and obvious, and it takes me a while to work out who is whom. Perhaps a hat of some description could have been used as Prince Hal’s character signifier. Overall, this piece is fun with a sombre finish as Prince Hal is forced to stop messing around and act like the prince he is, in political discourse.

After an intermission, the final play is Measure for Measure, directed by Tom McCrory. This is the most theatrical of the performances. The actors create soundscapes to set the tone, and the costumes are clear and striking: masculine black or feminine white. Two characters are played by multiple actors as a group: Isabella (Sheryl Chand, Penelope Hare, Eden Peters, Nadia Officer, Samantha Goodchild, Siobhan Schuster) and Angelo (Solomone ’Ahio, Harry White, Daniel Honey, Tutukangahau Teepa). Others are duos: Claudio (Jack Cullen, Heretini Fidow) and Lucio (Taygen Elliot, Coryn Shuker). However, as they all share the same costume – those playing Isabella, the almost nun and sister of Claudio, wear white skirts and white cloth headwear reminiscent of a habit – it is easy to keep track of who is whom.

In Measure for Measure, sex and, in this case, Isabella’s virginity, is used as a bargaining chip and men abuse their power in requesting it. After Claudio is imprisoned and given a death sentence for impregnating his fiancée outside of wedlock, Angelo offers to pardon Claudio if Isabella sleeps with him (Angelo). Isabella, of course, flat out refuses and when she explains to Claudio what has happened, and he asks her to take the deal, she launches into an impassioned speech (Nadia Officer and Eden Peters deliver an exceptional performance) highlighting the abuse of power both men exhibit. However, it ends with Claudio’s remorse and accepting his fate.

Performing this today in the twenty-first century world gives me inklings of the Me Too movement, where we ask men in positions of power to take responsibility for their actions and demand justice for women. A full-fledged version of this play would not go amiss.

The full company sing Non Nomis Domine with beautiful harmonies, followed by an exceptional waiata Tutira Mai, and finishing with a haka Maunganui. These performances send shivers down my spine: a wonderful way to end an evening of Shakespeare.

Dawn Sanders and the SGCNZ team have given these students a platform to showcase their talent, to connect as a community, to diversify their skills (much needed when entering the New Zealand theatre industry), and to have fun and have done so for the last 30 years. I’m glad this opportunity exists for young people and I hope SGCNZ is able to continue their work for another 30 years at least.

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