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Matthew Bourne's Romeo and Juliet
I thought I knew the story of Romeo and Juliet, and I thought there probably weren't many more interesting things adaptors could do with it. Boy, was I wrong!
I've liked and been impressed by all the Matthew Bourne ballets I've seen - they're always inventive, clever, surprising and emotive. My responses have been varied in intensity (Swan Lake is still one of my favourite shows ever, while Cinderella is good but not really special).
Romeo and Juliet took my by surprise in various ways - it was visceral and disturbing, an unexpectedly fresh take on the classic story, and very affecting. I don't think it will go down on my list of shows I love and will want to see many times, but it was very, very good. Well worth a visit if you're attracted to impressive and challenging modern ballet.
Going in, I was expecting a story of doomed teenage love - I was not expecting a damning commentary on the abuse of young people in the mental health system, though admittedly the Verona Institute of the setting is clearly not actually meant to be a real-world analogue.
As ever with Matthew Bourne, the set and staging are excellent. The main set remains the same throughout - a white tiled area with staircases leading up to an over-arching walkway, two arches that can be closed off by bars and one door with a frost glass window that is used to chilling effect. The cast move chairs and beds in and out to create group therapy areas and dormitories. This last provided one of my favourite bits, where the boys' and girls' dormitories are presented one on top of the other by the simple technique of the dancers rolling under the beds to be replaced instantly by their female or male counterparts.
The dancing was amazing, conveying complex emotions and particularly frustration at restriction and confinement. The cast was mostly young and portrayed the tortured inmates of the institution very effectively. The themes were heavy - the abuse suffered by the young people was mental, physical and sexual and the contrast between Juliet's duets with the violent guard, Tybalt, and the sweet and hesitant Romeo was pointed.
Romeo and Juliet shared what is likely the longest stage kiss in history, continuing their smooching throughout an extended part of one of their intimate scenes. All the dancers made the often athletic and sometimes also contortionist dancing look effortless, and full use was made of all aspect and levels of the set to great effect.
The guy playing Mercutio was the best all-round, which was a shame since he didn't make it to the second half. Also, unexpectedly for Matthew Bourne, he fulfilled the "Gay Guy Dies First" trope when the often only queer character dies early on, before straight characters. His boyfriend, Balthasar, was left alive to grieve, but still.
Things then took a turn for the unexpected, in that Tybalt's death was at the hands of the whole group of traumatised teenagers (a la Orient Express). Later, Juliet was haunted by visions of Tybalt's ghost and actually killed Romeo herself by accident, thinking he was her tormentor returned from the grave.
It often wasn't easy to watch - the early scenes between Juliet and Tybalt in particular - but it was incredibly well choreographed and staged.
I've liked and been impressed by all the Matthew Bourne ballets I've seen - they're always inventive, clever, surprising and emotive. My responses have been varied in intensity (Swan Lake is still one of my favourite shows ever, while Cinderella is good but not really special).
Romeo and Juliet took my by surprise in various ways - it was visceral and disturbing, an unexpectedly fresh take on the classic story, and very affecting. I don't think it will go down on my list of shows I love and will want to see many times, but it was very, very good. Well worth a visit if you're attracted to impressive and challenging modern ballet.
Going in, I was expecting a story of doomed teenage love - I was not expecting a damning commentary on the abuse of young people in the mental health system, though admittedly the Verona Institute of the setting is clearly not actually meant to be a real-world analogue.
As ever with Matthew Bourne, the set and staging are excellent. The main set remains the same throughout - a white tiled area with staircases leading up to an over-arching walkway, two arches that can be closed off by bars and one door with a frost glass window that is used to chilling effect. The cast move chairs and beds in and out to create group therapy areas and dormitories. This last provided one of my favourite bits, where the boys' and girls' dormitories are presented one on top of the other by the simple technique of the dancers rolling under the beds to be replaced instantly by their female or male counterparts.
The dancing was amazing, conveying complex emotions and particularly frustration at restriction and confinement. The cast was mostly young and portrayed the tortured inmates of the institution very effectively. The themes were heavy - the abuse suffered by the young people was mental, physical and sexual and the contrast between Juliet's duets with the violent guard, Tybalt, and the sweet and hesitant Romeo was pointed.
Romeo and Juliet shared what is likely the longest stage kiss in history, continuing their smooching throughout an extended part of one of their intimate scenes. All the dancers made the often athletic and sometimes also contortionist dancing look effortless, and full use was made of all aspect and levels of the set to great effect.
The guy playing Mercutio was the best all-round, which was a shame since he didn't make it to the second half. Also, unexpectedly for Matthew Bourne, he fulfilled the "Gay Guy Dies First" trope when the often only queer character dies early on, before straight characters. His boyfriend, Balthasar, was left alive to grieve, but still.
Things then took a turn for the unexpected, in that Tybalt's death was at the hands of the whole group of traumatised teenagers (a la Orient Express). Later, Juliet was haunted by visions of Tybalt's ghost and actually killed Romeo herself by accident, thinking he was her tormentor returned from the grave.
It often wasn't easy to watch - the early scenes between Juliet and Tybalt in particular - but it was incredibly well choreographed and staged.