Romeo and Juliet

We saw PNB's production of Romeo and Juliet on Saturday. It was a masterpiece. I don't say this lightly. At first I was a little taken aback by Jean-Christophe Maillot's choreography which was a big departure from the most widely performed stagings based on Sir Kenneth MacMillan's 1965 and John Cranko's 1969 adaptations. Cranko's presentation is true to the time period and beautifully captures the mood, drama and tragedy as the story unfolds. I am less familiar with MacMillan's 1965 choreography but suspect it shares much with Cranko's as a vehicle for the principal characters to show off their prowess (after all, Nureyev and Fontaine were the among those featured in MacMillan's production).

Maillot's choreography borrows liberally and completely appropriately from the classical, modern and folk. The depth of feeling and emotion conveyed through the dancers was startling, a far cry from the form-following character straight-jacketing from which most classical ballet's suffer (I still consider R&J to be classical). The choreography also gives a wider range of dancers exposure in significant roles. Besides Romeo and Juliet, Tybalt, Mercutio, the Nurse and the Friar add unique and story-enriching dimension to this Shakespearean drama. I am especially drawn to the Friar who seems to also play the role of Fate and appears at critical junctures as the tragedy unfolds.

There is so much more I could write about this beautiful piece but will leave it at this. If you ever get the chance to see this adaptation, grab it!