Romeo at Julieta: Isang Komedi (1997) is jointly staged by Japan’s Black Tent Theatre (BTT) and the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) and co-directed by Soxie Topacio and Yamamoto Kiyokazu. The production recontextualises the themes of conflict and intimacy in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet within the asymmetrical political and economic power dynamic between Japan and the Philippines. Set across two timelines—the 1940s Japanese Occupation and the economic dominance of Japan in the 1980s–1990s—the play explores the performance of gendered labour and the impact of transnational economic migration, linking past colonial oppression with contemporary neoliberal exploitation. The process of devising and staging the production emphasises intercultural collaboration, reflecting the evolving yet fraught relationship between the two countries as framed by the relationship between the two theatre companies. This partnership facilitates critical discourse on gender politics, labour and historical memory, using Shakespeare’s narrative as a neutral cultural reference point to navigate complex socio-political issues. The play’s intercultural and transnational dimensions underscore the dynamic interplay of historical legacies and contemporary realities in shaping intercultural theatre, and how theatre can speak back to these legacies and realities.