The interesting thing about a Shakespearean play is that theater groups  interpret the Bard differently, bringing their own interpretations of his words to the stage.

Burbage Theatre, under the watchful eye of Director Jeff Church, has stayed true to the language while offering a few nuances to the characters.

The two-and-a-half-hour tragedy opens with Romeo Capulet being introduced to the audience with his hair unkempt and his shirttail half out.

Is actor Ben Pereira seeing his character as an awkward teenager who has just fallen in love at first sight?

We then meet young Juliet Montague, (Maggie Papa) dressed in white and looking quite innocent.

The title characters are children of feuding families who meet at a ball and immediately fall in love.

The play also starts with a sword fight, cementing the conflict between the two families and warning us that this isn’t going to be a smooth relationship.

Church has staged the play in the round, warning those in the front row to keep their legs under their seats during some of the action, when over two dozen actors fill the area, at times with violent swordplay and at other times with dance.

Assuming that most of the audience has seen one or more versions of the play, the element of surprise is missing, especially in the closing scene, focusing the attention on how the director will pull it off.

Quite well, I will say. Shakespeare likes to drag out his death scenes, forcing Papa to lie perfectly still for a long time. It must seem like eternity for her.

The enjoyment of seeing a familiar play is observing how the actors interpret the familiar lines.

Papa and Pereira come through quite well, especially in one of the most famous moments of the play, the balcony scene.

With sixteen actors, most with major supporting roles and a dozen more filling in the fight and dance scenes, there is much to follow in the fast-paced production.

“Romeo and Juliet” is at Burbage Théâtre, 59 Blackstone Ave., Pawtucket. through September 24 with a couple of productions outside as part of the Pawtucket Arts Festival.

For reservations, call 484-0355.