Fascinating offbeat take
on Shakespeare classic

Easily offended types will likely avoid "Femme Capulet," Troy M. Apostol's new "deconstruction" of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet," playing Friday and Saturday at the ARTS at Marks Garage, but those open to experimental theater will embrace the work. Apostol approaches the classic romantic tragedy with the same imagination he brought to "The Rape of Lucrece" at Ward's Rafters last summer. The result is fascinating. It's also one of the most memorable offbeat takes on Shakespeare since film director Peter Greenaway reworked "The Tempest" as "Prospero's Books" in 1991.

'Femme Capulet' Presented by the Lizard Loft. Where: ARTS at Marks Garage, 1159 Nuuanu. When: 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Tickets: $10. Call: 536-8047.

In Apostol's "remix," Juliet is a novice dancer in a "gentlemen's club" named Femme Capulet. Lady Capulet is the owner of the establishment, Friar Laurence moonlights as a kindhearted bartender, and Tybalt is one of the club's bouncers. Romeo and Benvolio are two guys from another side of town.

Apostol tells the familiar story in reverse, starting with the double suicide, then jumping back to Romeo and Juliet's romantic morning together, Romeo's anguished conversation with Friar Laurence bewailing his banishment, to the fight with Tybalt, and so on. This approach doesn't add any clear insights, but the repeated "rewinding" doesn't detract from the story's dramatic impact, either.

That's important because Shakespeare -- whether straight or with a gimmick (dialect "translation" or whatever) -- done badly can be excruciating to sit through. Apostol and co-director Shen Nissan Sugai make this risky and unconventional experiment pay off thanks to strong, convincing performances.

Puaena Ahn (Romeo) and Carmen Jones (Juliet) ring true as young lovers from their first lines in the tomb and retain their command of the characters and the dialogue for the rest of the show. Ahn deftly balances Romeo's strengths and weaknesses to create a vulnerable and somewhat geeky young hero. Jones plays the role of budding child-woman perfectly. The balcony scene -- which takes place after hours on the empty Femme Capulet main stage -- achieves a delicate blend of tentative emotion and light comedy.

Ahn displays a natural knack for physical comedy. Jones, believably giddy and girlish in the "balcony" scene, appears frightened in the scene where Lady Capulet informs Juliet that 13 is not too young for marriage to an older man.

Sugai delivers an articulate performance as the bartender/friar. Natalie McKinney makes a welcome return to the local stage with a striking take on Lady Capulet that brings to mind "Gypsy's" ruthless Mama Rose. It's easy to imagine Lady Capulet killing Romeo herself if she caught him with Juliet.

TWO UNCONVENTIONAL casting choices add entertainment value in contrasting ways. Kumu Kahua veteran Stu Hirayama performs in drag as Juliet's nurse, embellishing Shakespeare's dialogue with broad acting and subtle gestures that add a comic element to the drama.

Marissa Robello gives a Po'okela Award-worthy performance as Mercutio, the fiery and desirable top dancer of Femme Capulet. The gender switch might not make sense to purists, but Hawaii has rarely seen Mercutio played with greater passion. Robello gives Mercutio's lengthy musings on dreams a dramatic spin that would not be possible with traditional casting, and she delivers a convincing performance in the pivotal fight scene as well.

Demetrius Guerrero (Tybalt) adds a nice bit of detail in making Tybalt appear shocked when he returns to the club after the altercation to find Mercutio dead.

Choreographer Andy Valencia ("Diamond") leads Le Femmes Capulet -- Kristy Ann, Christina McLemore, Vaialofi Samifua, Rachel Schack, Annjill Transfiguracion and Ayumi -- in providing the PG-13 entertainment preceding the formal show and separates the dramatic scenes. Apostol provides the booming voice of the Femme Capulet emcee who announces the dancers' stage assignments and directs cast members to their positions.