Rounding off the spring season at the National in their Dorfman Theatre this year is Romeo and Julie, a stark and confronting production focusing on teen pregnancy but choosing to approach the subject matter with a grounded faith in its characters that is rarely seen in similar media.

It’s important to note, however, that this story has absolutely nothing to do with Romeo and Juliet, except for the names of its two title characters but after all… “what’s in a name?”

Romeo here is a single parent, who meets and subsequently falls in love with Julie, a straight A student who offers to help him look after his daughter Neve, and after a night out in Cardiff, Julie becomes pregnant too and has to decide between Romeo or achieving the dreams she’s had since she was 12.

It would be so very easy for Gary Owen’s script to slip into caricature; to double down on melodrama that we have all seen played out before and altogether miss the emotional heart. But with Romeo and Julie, you’re watching a couple who genuinely do love each other. The writing is honest and truthful and gives room for characters with real empathy to make mature and complex decisions, making it a compelling watch. You can’t help but feel for the pair of them as they deal with their worlds crumbling around them.

Callum Scott Howells will be the draw for many fans of It’s a Sin, or more recently Cabaret, and anyone coming to see this show for him will not be disappointed. As Romeo, he puts in a wonderfully nuanced performance, exploring the honest reality of being a single parent who has given up everything and yet still remains, at his centre, a wise and empathetic human being.

Rosie Sheehy is excellent alongside him, and the two have brilliant chemistry both in friendship and in romance. Their relationship is truly what carries the performance, and Sheehy and Howells both thrive under the weight of the drama unfolding around them, building naturalistic characters that are consistent and entirely believable. You, as an audience, want them to be happy.

The adult characters within the story are also well crafted, with a stand out performance from Anita Reynolds as Julie’s mother, Kath. Her complex position within the family allows for very nuanced choices to be made, and she navigates her character well through all the obstacles she faces.

It’s a really very good play with the right balance of comedic and deep emotional moments, just don’t go expecting the Romeo and Juliet story you know.

*** Three stars

Reviewed by: Callum Wallace

Romeo and Julie plays at the National Theatre until 1 April, with further information here.