Edinburgh Festival Theatre – until 23rd September 2023
Reviewed by Rachel Farrier
5*****
The sense of anticipation in the sell out audience before the curtain rose for this production of Matthew Bourne’s Romeo and Juliet was an excellent sign of the evening that lay ahead of us, to the extent that when there was a technical glitch and the curtain was stuck half open for a tense 5 minutes, it seemed initially that this was part of the show.
However, this was truly the only minor wobble in an otherwise perfect evening of sublime ballet.
Set to Prokofiev’s 1935 score, Matthew Bourne has brilliantly re-imagined Romeo and Juliet into a startling and disturbing tale, set in what Bourne himself says is an intentionally vague institution in which young people are incarcerated. It does not shy away from themes of sexual violence and the abuse of power, but there is a tenderness and beauty in the eponymous relationship between the central characters which is breathtaking, and perhaps all the more so for the claustraphobic setting of distress and violence.
The set is comprised of the curved, high white tiled walls and white fences of the ‘Verona Institute’, with a raised platform at the back which creates an unsettlingly clinical scene where there is constant observation of the ‘inmates’. In addition, the cast are dressed in all white ‘uniforms’ throughout, apart from one scene where there is a dance (organized by the well meaning chaplain) and this is a welcome relief to the eye as dancers appear in colourful dresses and outfits.
It is this scene that we are introduced to Ben Brown’s exceptional Mercutio – he drew all eyes to him with both his athletic swagger and the gentle tenderness towards his lover Benvolio (Euan Garrett). The sequences in which Benvolio expresses his heartbreak and overwhelming distress at Mercuito’s death moved me to tears; it was an exquisite performance from Garrett. The production showcased diverse bodies and sexualities in a way that was full of ease and beauty, further enriching the dynamics of choreography and wonderfully expressed emotion.
Rory MacLeod as Romeo is simply outstanding and demonstrates a dazzling range of emotion, moving the audience from elation to despair with his exceptional grace and economy of movement. Cordelia Brathwaite as Juliet is the bright heart of the production with a strong presence – the connection between her and Macleod’s Romeo was magnetic. Their duets together were almost impossibly skillful in the way they portrayed love and fear, hope and anguish. The sequence in which they somehow do not part lips with one another as they beautifully manouvere around the stage is as mesmerizing as it is breathtaking.
The tragic finale with its unexpected twist on the traditional tale left the audience stunned, and the rapturous audience as the curtain fell was no less than this extraordinary troupe deserves.