WHEN Shakespeare wrote “The most excellent and lamentable tragedy of Romeo and Juliet”, he created the two most loved and recognisable pair of lovers the world has ever known. Originally Romeo was described as being 16 years old and Juliet 13, but while Romeo appears to have matured in age over the years, Juliet remains as this child bride. In whatever medium the story is told, play, film, opera or ballet, the role of Juliet, while being one of the best, is also one of the most challenging, requiring the experience of a mature performer but the ability to present physically and mentally the childlike qualities of a young girl experiencing love for the first time.
Looking and moving with all the enthusiasm and gaucheness of a 13-year-old, 24-year -old Italian-born ballerina Andrea Conforti created a lovely, vulnerable Juliet. Her first shy encounter with Mirko Andreotti’s fine and sympathetic Romeo produced a pas de deux that painted ideal pictures of the young, innocent lovers. As the plot twists and turns, leading to the inevitable tragic ending, Andrea and Mirko’s Juliet and Romeo grew in stature.
Choreographer Sergei Bobrov also adapted Shakespeare’s text to produce some distinctly new but very acceptable views on some of the other characters. They were enhanced considerably by Dmitry Tcherbadzhi’s wonderfully off-beat costumes. Outrageously, the flamboyantly-attired Lady Capulet (Mara Salvaggio) unashamedly flirted with Giovanni Pompei’s arrogant Tybalt. Equally flamboyant in character as well as dress, Vittorio Scolé’s Mercutio created a great deal of fun as he mercilessly teased Tybalt about his sexuality.
In addition to distinctive characters like Roberta Estrela’s no-nonsense, platform-soled Nurse and Danylo Motkov’s poised Paris, a lovely array of supporting characters appeared, and aided by fine costumes and masks, a limited number of dancers moved with great dexterity from being members of the Capulet or Montague families to a Greek Chorus overseeing the tragic ending.
Facing a 20-venue tour of the length and breath of the UK, never staying more than three nights at any place, there is hardly room to mount a big spectacular production at each stop, but with excellent use of a big video screen and music arranged to give the impression that the orchestral pit is more fully populated, the production gives full value to Prokofiev’s exciting score.
Sensitive to the needs of the dancers, conductor Peter Tuleshkov keeps a good balance between the vivid pictures of the full company in the powerful Dance of the Knights and gentle romantic themes of the lovers.
The company’s visit to the Anvil in Basingstoke is restricted to two nights. It will present The Nutcracker there on Tuesday 21st January and Swan Lake on Wednesday 22nd.
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