This Tuesday, Northern Ballet gave a much-anticipated, stunning performance of the much beloved Romeo & Juliet. The effortlessly emotional adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic romance is often considered a challenge, and upon initial thought often begs the question, how does a company go about conveying the raw complexities of the most famous tragic young love story? Northern Ballet might just have found the answer: authenticity and passion, of which, they have in abundance.
Led by Joseph Taylor and Abigail Prudames in their roles as Romeo and Juliet respectively, whose chemistry undeniably added to the beauty of conveying such love, makes their tragic end all the more poignant and compelling. Triggered by a freeze frame, we are welcomed into a world of love and hate. As Juliet plummets to the floor, so do our heavy hearts, filled with sorrow and sadness for the principal characters. Perhaps this is the cast’s greatest feat, creating a piece which not only allows, but encourages, the audience to feel that pain. Beautiful emotion which arguably, only ballet can convey.
Support for the two comes in the form of a charismatic and dynamic cast, whose cohesive movement and storytelling further contributed to bringing Christopher Gable’s adaptation to life on stage. From the established strength of Amber Lewis’ Lady Capulet to the timely comic relief presented by Heather Lehan as Nurse, the dichotomy between frustration and intimacy melts perfectly into Prokofiev’s fluctuant score. The beautifully played score, conducted by Daniel Parkinson, invites us to to be wholly immersed in the story, shifting throughout between intense drama and vulnerable emotion. A classic modernisation of Shakespeare is always welcome, and this production exudes a timeless effortlessness that many other ballet productions fail to do.
An emotional bow from the Orchestrian during the final bows signalled the dedication and commitment from all involved in creating a beautifully crafted show. Bravo to all!
Rating: ★★★★☆
Northern Ballet’s Romeo & Juliet is playing at the Sheffield Lyceum until April 6th, & touring the U.K. until October 26th
