On the common message board at work I posted quick thoughts on the local Romeo and Juliet this weekend, where I called it (among other things), “safe.”
“I’m curious what exactly a safe production of Romeo and Juliet is,” said a coworker in person. “Do they not die in the end?” Laughter from random overhearing coworkers.
“Nope, they definitely still die.”
“Is there still an implied teenage sex scene?”
“Yup, definitely has that.”
“And they still murder people?”
“Yes, yes they do.”
“And you call that safe? As a parent?”
“Fair point. My kids definitely gave me the, ‘Seriously, Daddy?’ look when Mercutio was writhing and grinding on the floor a few times. But everybody knows the story, it’s not like anything was a surprise. By safe I meant it was a traditional, expected interpretation. At no point did I think, “Whoa, hey, that’s different! I’ve never seen that particular interpretation of that moment before!”
“Ohhhh,” said he, “You meant it wasn’t avant-garde.”
So I immediately sent him this picture from Slings & Arrows as the first thing that comes to mind when somebody mentions an avant-garde Romeo and Juliet: