Theatre / Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare, directed by Peter Evans. At The Playhouse, until September 7. Reviewed by ALANNA MACLEAN.

Bell Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is at the beginning of a massive multi-state tour that will take it to theatres in WA, NSW, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, SA and, finally, to the Sydney Opera House in November.

That will give it plenty of time to iron out the uncertainties. It has a confident cast with some presence, but it has yet to properly invite the audience along for the ride.

It has an intense Juliet in Madeline Li and a Romeo with feeling in Ryan Hodson and they make a convincing couple. Juliet is, as ever, the more practical of the two and Romeo more of the dreamer.

Merridy Eastman’s Nurse is a wonderfully angular gossipy woman of limited view, and Li’s Juliet is right to finally reject her guidance. Capulet and Lady Capulet (Michael Wahr and Adinia Wirasti), her parents, give her even less help as they attempt to push her into marriage with the courtly Paris (Jack Halabi). Wirasti’s Lady Capulet seems especially young and tragically unable to help her daughter.

Wahr particularly stands out with his portrait of the deceptively cheerful father who has placed all his hopes in his last surviving child, Juliet.

Khisraw Jones-Shukoor makes a solid and serious Friar. Tom Matthews is a fierce Tybalt. Brittany Santariga is a lively Mercutio, is impressive as the Prince and has a real presence as the person who does the opening and closing framing speeches.

It’s a lean production, with a spare set lifted by the rolling out of bright rugs, and splashes of colour in the costumes by designer Anna Tregloan. And there’s the lovely clash of real metal in the fight scenes.

If it does not quite yet reach the audience emotionally, it will be interesting to see what it will do by the end of the year at the Opera house.

Juliet, so young, impetuous yet wise beyond her years