If there was one word to describe this show it would be beautiful — beautiful in every sense of the word.
The Northern Ballet’s production of Romeo and Juliet is currently showing at Nottingham’s Theatre Royal until Saturday (April 4).
Based on the world-renowned, classic Shakespeare play, this show provides the perfect gateway into the world of ballet, as it tells an approachable story that the majority of us were likely taught at school.
Two warring families, the Montagues and Capulets, clash and fight at every opportunity, yet through it all two young lovers for either side of the divide find one another.
But as the curtain raises and the action begins a very valid question comes to mind — how are some of the the most iconic lines of dialogue ever put to paper adapted into a non-verbal show?
The answer is through feeling, and it is simply incredible just how much emotion can be expressed through movement.
Every flicker of love and hope is light and airy, passionate even. The tragedy and brutalism feels heavy and powerful.
Like many, I have never been to a ballet before, and so as someone unfamiliar with the technicalities and precision of the dancing I won’t even attempt to critique the choreography other than to say that it was simply stunning.
But this show would not have packed the same punch without the timeless scores of Sergei Prokofiev, who crafted some of the most recognisable classical music of all time.
For instance the ‘Dance of the Knights’ is one of the most immersive and captivating pieces of music there is — but for the wider, modern, television-loving public, it is most likely known as the theme tune to The Apprentice.
If you can get the image of Alan Sugar power walking across the stage in tights out of your mind, the music and the dancing combine beautifully and full credit must be given to the incredible live orchestra who were fully deserving of the applause they received.
This tour is also the first time that the show has been performed in over 13 years, after flood damage to props and costumes forced a hiatus.
However, when all seemed lost and through painstaking work, the original sets were repaired and restored and where original clothing was too far gone, detailing was lifted and merged with new fabrics to maintain the essence of the originals.
The effect? An image of classic beauty, which is the final piece in a puzzle tying the whole production together.
Split into three acts, the structure is perhaps a little unusual for a regular theatre goer, however this allowed the audience to digest the performance much more easily.
Overall, I would highly recommend the Northern Ballet’s production of Romeo and Juliet, which is both beautiful and engaging.
It is far more than the stereotypical assumption of being “boring” that ballet is often unfairly labeled with, and provides an excellent opportunity for people to get out of their cultural comfort zone.
