Pilot Theatre’s new production of Romeo and Juliet is certainly more bawd than bard.

It’s not entirely a bad thing — this York-based company, who specialise in theatre for teenagers and young adults, certainly evoked an audience reaction highlighting some of the more literal interpretations of the play’s double entendres.

Their Verona, where Shakespeare sets his scene, is one populated by skinny-jeans wearing fashionistas. Here, Juliet (Rachel Spicer) is a more-petulant-than-thou teenager, both wooed by wistful romantic Romeo (Oliver Wilson) and under the thumb of her power-dressing mother (Mary Rose). Romeo and Juliet’s illicit affair (she is 13, and the pair are from rival families) starts gaining attention — first from Juliet’s colourful nurse (Louisa Eyo) and then through to members of the rival families. All’s not well and will not end well — even the interval falls straight after a scene of shocking violence.

Pilot understand the split between the play; a lighter, frothier first half is superseded by a darker, dread-drenched second part. It’s the staging of this brooding second half which excels. The first half is overwhelmed by gurning, gesticulating and vulgarity.

At first it’s amusing, but after a while this grates. They also use the touchstone of Baz Lurhmann’s 1996 film adaptation — the Priest here is more drug dealer than holy man, and there’s heavy use of slinky, modern music.

It is only during this second half that the actors come into their own. Spicer’s Juliet has a habit of swallowing her words and giving the character an extreme truculence, verging on the one-note. However, she nails it when pathos is required. Elsewhere, there is solid acting from Wilson’s Romeo and Eyo’s Nurse. But the star of the show is William Travis as Juliet’s father, Capulet. Commanding and a little frightening, he hints at all kinds of tensions only danced around in the script.

Throughout, however, the production manages to impress. The set design is terrific; the stage is bedecked with flowers and the austere-looking wooden frame which towers above the actors becomes surprisingly versatile as the cast clamber over and around it to great effect. The use of lighting is also impressive — from neon blue framing to backlit orange, it’s visually striking.

So although this production does initially go for the lowest common denominator, Pilot’s Romeo and Juliet soon redeems itself to become a moving, striking and accessible rendition of this famous play. It continues until Saturday night at the Oxford Playhouse. Box office: 01865 305305 (www.oxfordplayhouse.com)