The Stratford Zoo Midnight Revue Presents Romeo and Juliet

July 15, 2015
The animal thespians at the Stratford Zoo perform yet another of the Bard's tragedies, this time with a rooster and a bear in the title roles. After their successful production of Macbeth (2014), the inhabitants of the Stratford Zoo decide to tackle another one of Shakespeare's most recognized plays. Their version casts the Capulets as bears that belong to a group called Wilders, or animals that live freely out in the forest, and the Montagues as roosters, belonging to the Petters, farm animals residing at the Verona Petting Zoo. The star-crossed pair meet at a costume party, where Juliet is dressed as Abraham Lincoln, and Romeo has opted for the not-so-clever disguise of a mask over his eyes. Here, Romeo and Juliet are destined to be best friends rather than lovers, and the "tragic" conclusion involves induced hibernation rather than suicide, making this splendidly approachable-and adeptly not watered-down-for younger readers. While the revue's players are funny in their own rights, subplots that flare up among the audience members prove just as amusing. Bright and bold illustrations splash across each page, utilizing a variety of panel shapes, sizes, and full-page spreads to create a visually enticing backdrop. Fans of the series, leave the hankies at home: the zoo's next performance promises to be a comedy. Bravo! Where so many earnest Shakespeare adaptations flop, this series bids fair to light genuine enthusiasm in young readers. (Graphic fantasy/classic. 8-12)

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September 15, 2015
Grades 3-6 Stratford Zoo's troupe of animal thespians is back with another production of one of Shakespeare's tales of woe. Romeo the rooster, a Petter from the Verona Petting Zoo, and Juliet the bear, a Wilder from the forest, meet and become best friends, despite the objections of their families. Following the story line of the original play, Lendler's adaptation is succinct, age appropriate (the audience's view of Tibb's death is cleverly hidden by a pair of late-arriving elephants, and Romeo and Juliet are joined together in hibernation instead of death), and very funny, with the audience providing much of the humor. The bold, colorful artwork is equally witty and helps not only to propel the story but also to illustrate for a young audience some of Shakespeare's more flowery prose. Director's Notes at the end of the book further explain the story's setting, the history behind the play, and fun facts about Shakespeare and his time. Entertaining and educational, readers will welcome the news that the troupe next plans to perform one of the Bard's comedies.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)