Theatre Director Kristl Densley set Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” in Samoan culture and history to produce a BYU-Hawaii show audiences said provided comedy and a lesson on empathy between cultures.
“‘Romeo and Juliet’ is a kind of story that allows any time or place to settle in just as long as you can justify it in the text,” said Densley, a professor of theater in the English Department. “My purpose doing this is to have plays that reach all of the cultures of campus… I’m not happy doing a Japanese play if there [aren’t] Japanese students in it. In this play, we could not do it without half of the cast being either Samoan or Polynesian.”
Held in the McKay Auditorium on April 20-22, the set design featured a turnable Samoan fale constructed by Kap Tafiti, dancer at the Polynesian Cultural Center. Cast mates helped build the set with Tafiti by climbing coconut trees for leaves, using machetes to cut branches, and sharing stories about growing up in Samoa, said the play’s program.
The actors were all dressed in island attire common in Samoa. With the Montague family and other Polynesian characters, males dressed in either cargo or sports shorts and either tank tops or button up shirts with Polynesian designs. The females wore traditional dresses and pants or lava lavas with plain shirts. With the Capulet family and other Caucasian characters, males wore cargo shorts with unbuttoned plaid shirts with a white shirt underneath, while the females wore pants and plain T-shirts.
Densley said she was inspired to integrate Samoan culture when she read “A Footnote to History: Eight Years of Trouble in Samoa,” by Robert Stevenson. “I knew before I started [directing] that I wanted to set up the play in Polynesia, and as I [read], I knew that would be a backdrop. It worked perfectly on this campus because we have so many Samoan students here.”
Despite the Early Modern English dialogue, Densley said the context made the story relatable. “The Samoan people were very welcoming of the Germans and even the Americans who came in before they knew their country was [being] taken over. So native people were trying to get their land back.”
Referencing the history of Samoa, she said, “They are fighting because of misunderstandings over land. In the end, it’s about them coming together and respecting each other again. So, it really worked… to set this play in Samoa even though we set it in the modern time.”
Densley said the messages she wanted to portray from the performance was unity and respect between cultures in order to avoid “dangerous situations when there can be misunderstandings and hatred.”
Tupua Ainu‘u, a BYUH alumnus from American Samoa, said he felt very blessed and proud to be in the play as Friar Laurence. He said, “It went really well because people got the jokes and intentions of the scenes, even with Shakespearian and Samoan language. [It’s] really hard to understand both languages. If the audience reacts to them, it means as an actor you are doing a good job.”
As a Samoan actor, Ainu‘u said he felt like he had to be part of the play. “I would’ve regretted not being a part of it.”
During the closing show on Saturday night, the crowd packed the auditorium. Throughout the play, Polynesian actors spoke Samoan lines in addition to the original text, usually to make jokes. Samoan audience members howled with laughter whenever Honey So’oialo Salima, the Nurse, spoke in Samoan after conversing with the different characters.
When the Nurse scolded Romeo for wanting to see Juliet again, she said, “If you dare touch her, ia ga ole faalavalava ole seevae lea i lou guku. Eke vaavaai iai pe a maua mai kala e fai sesi au keige, e vave ai ga puupuu lou ola ua e iloa,” which Ainu‘u said translates to: “I’m gonna beat you up with my slipper! If I hear another girl, your life will be shortened, you better know!”
After the Friar saves Romeo, the Nurse said, “E se, leikio foi a koakele fafige ma keigeiki o legei auloku, oga e fai ole magaia male suamalie o au upu ae ole kauga foi o Lou au lelei. Se maimau pe aga e leo oe ose pakele.” This means, “You are such a good pastor. No wonder why there are so many women in your congregation. You are so good looking and attractive. So sad you are a Father. Too bad…”
Rachel Chambers, a sophomore from Utah majoring in music, starred as Juliet. She said, “I’ve never really connected to Shakespeare in a way that I did in this production.” She said the Samoan jokes started to make her laugh even though she didn’t know the language before. She said she became more connected with the culture by performing in the play, which she attributed to interacting with the Samoan actors.
Joseph Loi-On, a sophomore business major from Wahiawa, starred as Romeo. “It was awesome to be a part of Professor Densley’s vision, which was to [have] the stage reflect what the hallway [on campus] looks like,” he said. Audience members said the Samoan setting was believable. Malrita Fuiava, a freshman political science major from Samoa, said, “Having it in a Samoan setting is a new thing and different, but it was actually showing people how it is to be a Samoan at the same time...I like how everyone was active and they didn’t forget the script.”
Makela Conte, a freshman social work major from Mililani, said, “I thought [the play] was super hilarious. You can tell the passion for what the [actors and actresses] were doing, and [they] were very convincing in all the roles they had.”
Percy Sa’u, a junior graphic design major from Samoa, said, “I like how they involved the different cultures. It made it more interesting because I can relate to how Samoans treat their family and how another culture treats their’s.”
Cast members said there were applicable messages throughout the play. Ainu’u said the message to the audience from Friar Laurence was to “love your children. Really pay attention to them and be a good listener. If you won’t give your children the love and attention they need, they [will] seek it elsewhere. As we can see in the end of this story, the parents’ neglect turned into disaster.”
Chambers said the message of the play conveys a sense of cultural understanding. “I think the characters were very prideful to begin with. They think they know everything. At some point, you understand the wrong you did, and you come to understand how you make it right.
“I think a little bit of change has to start with understanding. Obviously, they know they have been killing each other and their kids are dead, but they’ve come to understand that it’s because of them. [They understand] there is this beautiful culture that they’ve been neglecting and dominating.”
Loi-On said although the play connects to people in different ways, as an actor he learned the significance of “reciprocating love.”
Densley said she is hoping to host multicultural productions every semester. In the Fall, the department will be doing a Japanese play called “The Honorable Rush Mataru.”
Writer: Gosuke Kawano and Josh Mason