Theatre Review: Romeo + Juliet @ Sadler's Wells

Title: Romeo & Juliet

Directed by: Matthew Bourne 

Music by: Sergei Prokofiev

Choreographed by: Matthew Bourne

Theatre: Sadlers Wells, London

Review: Romeo and Juliet is possibly one of the most recognised of Shakespeare's plays. It is a story so ingrained into popular culture with so many versions of it that when it comes round to putting on a new production it's what you bring to the table that makes it different. 

We all know of the tale of star crossed lovers, born to rival families who's fighting factions embroil the streets of fair Verona where we lay our scene...and it doesn't end well, spoiler alert. But this is not the version you would have been taught at in school!

Having seen a number of Matthew Bourne productions I was interested in where he would take the piece when you strip out the grandeur of cinema and take away the power of Shakespeare's words. You have have to crate your own drama and energy relying solely on the movement and the music. 

Set to Prokofiev's score with the instantly recognisable Dance of the Knights made popular as the soundtrack to the BBC's The Apprentice (luckily that is not the route it took) Bourne takes the base elements of the story apart and builds up from there. It is familiar yet different enough to give this told tale a new breath of life. 

Set for me is always important. I find the older I get the more attention I pay,  the more

interested I become in its symbolism to the piece. Lez Brotherston's institute looks like a 1950s-esq boarding school and the near all white costume ads a clinical prison like vibe. When you realise it is set in an institution adds gravel to the situation, making it a little darker, giving the characters more weight, more ownership over their actions. It also ultimately reminds you that they were actually just kids wrapped up in a family drama. They just wanted to love each other..and in this case dance. Both Romeo (Andy Monaghan) and Juliet (Seren Williams) danced with a beautiful grace and innocence that befitted the role...and even in death Romeo managed a few last pirouettes. Special shout-out to Mercutio (Ben Brown) who brought this intense energy to his performance where every time he was on stage you wanted to hone in on him, especially in those moments with Balthasar (Asher Rosenheim), which yes I am bias towards the gay couple, but there was drama and intensity in those moments to that you couldn't help but get drawn into. There was such a passion and energy to the way that it was danced I could have watched them all night... it was an experience! That's the real show the world needs to see...end of thirsty paragraph. 

This is very much an adaptation and interpretation rather than a straight retelling, which gives it a better sense of purpose when you accept that and whilst it wasn't my favourite Bourne production there was a lot of take from it and an interesting take on a tale that is so well known. It made moments more unexpected and you wondered where things would go. Any time I see one of his shows I want to dance and be able to recreate those moments I see on stage and that can't be underrated...until we meet again Mr Bourne

Romeo + Juliet is showing at Sadler's Wells until August 31st