Theater Review | Boston Ballet show 'Romeo and Juliet' is fresh, effective
Four out of five stars
Rita Reznikova
Issue date: 2/29/08 Section: Arts
Seeing any version of "Romeo and Juliet" on or immediately following Valentine's Day is not for the cheesy-phobic or, if solo, the faint of heart. Thankfully, Boston Ballet's version of Sergei Prokofiev's quirky score is so adorable, even the most cynical singles can appreciate it alongside the enamored.
Everything about this ballet is top-notch, especially the fact that it manages to add humor and poignancy into a tale told a billion times over. Romeo and Juliet, danced by Boston Ballet regulars Carlos Molina and Lorna Feijóo, are more than Shakespeare's lovers here. As the show continues, one sees them make the transformation from children to adults, and in Juliet's case especially, with a tad bit of humor.
In fact, this transformation is a wonderful insight. From the scene in the beginning when Juliet doubts her changing body to her death at the end, Feijóo elegantly draws the journey from child to woman. The love scenes, too, are convincing. This pair, as Romeo and Juliet, is intimately believable; they have wonderful chemistry together throughout the ballet. Their scenes are sensual without being tacky, a difficult task considering how artfully and effortlessly they appear.
The dancing, as always, is well executed, but interestingly enough, there is not as much pure ballet here as one might expect. Shown more through acting, character work, drama and many vignettes, it's the story that plays a central role. Boston Ballet's production reads more like a musical play or a visual account than a classical ballet. In part, this is due to Prokofiev's storytelling score, which follows more closely the action of Shakespeare in its setup rather than the format of pure ballet used by earlier composers.
The score is indeed a famous one, but since it was written in 1936, the ballet is far from typical and oozes elements of modernism. There's always a feeling of impending tragedy, especially in the latter act, but the artistry doesn't give in to gloom all the time despite this undercurrent.
Everything about this ballet is top-notch, especially the fact that it manages to add humor and poignancy into a tale told a billion times over. Romeo and Juliet, danced by Boston Ballet regulars Carlos Molina and Lorna Feijóo, are more than Shakespeare's lovers here. As the show continues, one sees them make the transformation from children to adults, and in Juliet's case especially, with a tad bit of humor.
In fact, this transformation is a wonderful insight. From the scene in the beginning when Juliet doubts her changing body to her death at the end, Feijóo elegantly draws the journey from child to woman. The love scenes, too, are convincing. This pair, as Romeo and Juliet, is intimately believable; they have wonderful chemistry together throughout the ballet. Their scenes are sensual without being tacky, a difficult task considering how artfully and effortlessly they appear.
The dancing, as always, is well executed, but interestingly enough, there is not as much pure ballet here as one might expect. Shown more through acting, character work, drama and many vignettes, it's the story that plays a central role. Boston Ballet's production reads more like a musical play or a visual account than a classical ballet. In part, this is due to Prokofiev's storytelling score, which follows more closely the action of Shakespeare in its setup rather than the format of pure ballet used by earlier composers.
The score is indeed a famous one, but since it was written in 1936, the ballet is far from typical and oozes elements of modernism. There's always a feeling of impending tragedy, especially in the latter act, but the artistry doesn't give in to gloom all the time despite this undercurrent.
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