Matthew Bourne's
Romeo and Juliet
UK Tour - Milton Keynes
(Review Complete)
SYNOPSIS:
A re imagining of
Shakespeare’s timeless story of star-crossed lovers whose doomed love affects
everyone around them.
REVIEW:
I spent a wonderful
evening at the Milton Keynes Theatre on Tuesday 5th September watching Matthew
Bourne’s re imagining of the classic love story Romeo & Juliet. From the
very first spectacular second, this ballet challenges every preconception of this story! Set in the
Verona Institute which is some kind of Asylum for young people, the plain
white, and yet, somehow hopelessly bleak set, pulls the audience in and makes
everyone feel as though they are also inmates! There are barred gates, metal
staircases and a white tiled wall that creates sinister shadows and
reflections.
Cordelia Braithwaite is
the most wonderful Juliet. She created the part in the original production and
is such a tragic, abused character, made all the more poignant because of her
ability to stay strong through it all. When she meets Romeo, played brilliantly
by Paris Fitzpatrick, who has been brought into the Institute by his parents,
their connection is immediate and passionate.
Their playing of the
truly shocking final scene of the ballet was outstanding!
The whole cast are
fantastic! The movement throughout is very complex from the small twitches to
the acrobatic running up and down ladders and complicated lifts - all to great
effect.
Terry Davies has re orchestrated Prokofiev’s original score for a smaller orchestra and it works
excellently with the bleak setting of the ballet.
This is a truly
wonderful piece of 5 star theatre and I cannot recommend it highly enough! It
runs at Milton Keynes until 9th September and then goes on tour to the
following places so catch it if you can at a venue near you!
Reviewer: Julia Rufey.
Alhambra Theatre,
Bradford 12th-16th
September
Festival Theatre,
Edinburgh 19th-23rd September
Kings Theatre, Glasgow 26th-30th
September
Lyceum Theatre,
Sheffield 3rd-7th October
Churchill Theatre,
Bromley 10th-14th October
Grand Theatre,
Wolverhampton 17th-21st October
His Majesty’s Theatre,
Aberdeen 31st October-4th November