Romeo and Juliet - Titchfield Festival Theatre, Titchfield Abbey

WITH a backdrop as magical as Titchfield Abbey, there is no shortage of balconies to host Juliet and her lovelorn sighs.

This production of Romeo and Juliet opened Titchfield Festival's summer season. The story of the star-cross'd lovers caught up in feuding families used the setting well and had a cast confident of their lines and universally audible, despite awkward positioning in some scenes.

The eponymous leads were particularly strong with Ellie Blackham's vibrant expressions capturing Juliet's frustrated youth and Rob Hall's Romeo showing much passion.

Frankie Patterson employed good comic timing as the wittering nurse and Nick Downes as Capulet ranted to good effect.

Although traditionally costumed, the textual changes seemed to owe much to Baz Luhrmann's cinematic influence. I'm all in favour of omitting out-dated references from Shakespeare but there is much to be lost in injudicious cutting and real danger in changing storylines.