‘Romeo,’ How Funny Art Thou? Quite

“Romeo and Juliet” may not immediately spring to mind as a prime specimen of bawdy humor and swashbuckling derring-do, yet those qualities prove the main attractions in Karesa McElheny’s staging for the Knightsbridge Theatre in Pasadena.

McElheny is particularly adept at illuminating the earthy puns and innuendoes that run rampant through the sometimes opaque verse. She gives her better performers free rein to amplify their intentions with physical embellishment.

Most successful in this regard are Joseph P. Stachura’s lusty, world-wise Mercutio, and Tom Chick’s wry Benvolio--both keep their interpretations lively without muddying our ability to see their characters clearly. JoAnna Jocelyn brings considerable presence to Juliet’s nurse, though a lot of it seems to have been borrowed from Alistair Sim.

The abundant sword fights are notably accomplished as well, but the piece succumbs to limited casting resources in a tedious second half. Some judicious cuts would help--the finale’s wordy rehash of what we already know is a worthy candidate.

As the central star-crossed lovers, Jason Cole and JulieAnna Laffer are also problematic. Laffer’s Juliet exudes contemporary spunk at the expense of vulnerability, while Cole’s passion-fueled Romeo is only sometimes convincing. Shakespeare’s complex tale is clearly critical of the pair’s willful, intemperate excess and poor judgment when it comes to reality testing, yet nevertheless discovers in these youths something pure and noble that transcends the insane feud between their families. This production, like many, fares better with the latter half of the equation, perpetuating the overly simplistic romantic haze that frequently surrounds popular perception of this double-edged tragedy.

*

* “Romeo and Juliet,” Knightsbridge Theatre, 35 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena. Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 5 p.m. Ends Feb. 22. $15. (626) 440-0821. Running time: 3 hours.