Rome and Jewels by Rennie Harris

The components of the English dialect commonly engaged in the critique of promenade are scarcely ample for the reason of recounting Rennie Harris' take on "Romeo and Juliet" - Rome and Jewels. Shakespeare is credited in the events for providing part of the 'text' and Harris, a hitting hulk of a number with long dreadlocks down his back, notified the assembly at the starting of the night that he got the concept for the part from observing West Side Story. After that, customary promenade language sprints out - Harris reports us that, elderly 14, he had considered "West Side Story would be better with hip jump dancers." DJs rub notes in tempo (this for the uninitiated is turntablism), handsome very dark 'guys' balance in handstands on muscular arms, encircling their legs overhead their heads as if promenading choreography inverted, and Rome (Romeo), previous US Marine, Rodney Mason, interlaces Shakespearian sonnets with graphic, and rarely pornographic, rap. (TM Insiders pp14-20)

Rome and the "Monster Q's" (the "Montagues" in usual Romeo and Juliet parlance) are clothed in baggy very dark road apparel and promenade what I would estimate, drawing on my slender know-how, is untainted hip hop. Tybalt and the "Caps" (the "Capulets") are clothed in more clean-cut red tracksuits, promenading what I would have said was shatter promenading, but my language is restricted and I should state "B-boy." The two gangs conflict because Rome has been up to no good with Tybalt's young female, Jewels (Juliet). Rome talks to Jewels - "Shall I contrast thee to a summer's day? - but she is not ever seen. He simulates a kiss and even full sex with the spectral heroine. But Jewels isn't the point. We are, rather, seeing Rome's rite of route on the roads - North Philadelphia, where Harris was increased and became accomplished in the art of road promenade and, most likely, survival. Body components are isolated to present segregated movements, heads skid along bears, strolling rearwards in a skid as if on a conveyor belt. Dancing degenerates into being hurled to the floor and granted a good booting in factual gang style. (TM Insiders pp14-20)

Rome's primary monologue takes us through the variety of individual characteristics he could be on a uneven Philly street: the "Romeo and Juliet" text and Shakespeare's sonnets consigned directly, with chilling drama, and blended with what I would call hard-core rap. He mimics a cannon with his hand sharp at the assembly, he becomes a policeman agent yelling at him (self) "to put the cannon down." He's a intoxicated, then a marine turned fugitive from fairness, and then an evangelising priest. A veteran of the Gulf War who now has his own promenade business, Mason begun life promenading on the roads of South Philly. He is a fine person who promenades and assuring actor. When he balances on his arms and then downhill rides up on his barrel, his movements are so graceful that he seems to present an inverted arabesque, his ...