• The carnival scene (artists of the Australian Ballet). Photo by Jeff Busby.
    The carnival scene (artists of the Australian Ballet). Photo by Jeff Busby.
  • Christopher Rogers Wilson as Paris with Sharni Spencer as Juliet. Photo by Jeff Busby.
    Christopher Rogers Wilson as Paris with Sharni Spencer as Juliet. Photo by Jeff Busby.
  • Callum Linnane (Romeo) and Sharni Spencer (Juliet). Photo by Jeff Busby.
    Callum Linnane (Romeo) and Sharni Spencer (Juliet). Photo by Jeff Busby.
  • Brett Chynoweth as Mercutio. Photo by Jeff Busby.
    Brett Chynoweth as Mercutio. Photo by Jeff Busby.
  • Callum Linnane (Romeo), Adam Bull (Tybalt) and artists of the Australian Ballet. Photo by Jeff Busby.
    Callum Linnane (Romeo), Adam Bull (Tybalt) and artists of the Australian Ballet. Photo by Jeff Busby.
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Arts Centre Melbourne
Reviewed October 7

 After a gap of almost 20 years, the Australian Ballet has brought back John Cranko’s Romeo and Juliet. This means that the roles are being performed by a whole new generation of dancers. I hope that doing so has been as much of a treat for them as it was for the opening night audience. The performance was quite simply stunning in every way. The sumptuous costuming and design looked fresh and fabulous and Prokofiev’s music is everything you could wish for and played to perfection by Orchestra Victoria. The dancing and character interpretations were mesmerising.

Cranko’s choreography is extraordinary as it moves Juliet through a complex range of emotional registers in a way that absolutely captures her journey. In her debut in the role, Sharni Spencer transformed from the fresh, breezy childishness of the early scenes, through to the young lover and finally to the emerging woman who is willing to take any risk for love - all within a remarkably distilled time-frame of four days.

Spencer made the choreography her own, with subtle transitions in her physicality - light as air in the early scenes. In the slightly reticent choreography of the first pas de deux, her body opened and closed to the unexpected new love. Her portrayal was full of subtlety and emotion. Later, her movement quality became more voluptuous as she was immersed in her all-consuming passion for Romeo.

The balcony pas de deux, with its swooping lifts and dives, has Juliet in trance-like thrall to Romeo. The choreography demands a complete malleability from the ballerina coupled with a fragile composure. Defiance and anguish are layered into her portrayal as the story arcs toward its climax.

As Romeo, Callum Linnane portrayed his own transformation from a young lad-about-Verona - one of the boys, playing up and flirting - to the smitten and then deeply impassioned lover. He moved from youthful bravado to simple elegance and was a strong and attentive partner to his Juliet.

Cranko’s choreography dates back to 1962 but feels fresh and modern. Apart from the principal roles, the smaller parts and the corps de ballet also have their own movement vocabulary. Especially impressive is the way that the corps is almost always moving, dynamic without being distracting – the dancers are a part of a moving tapestry. 

The scenes of the carnival are lively and clever and were delivered by the dancers with wit, sharpness of execution and strongly individuated characterisation. The jesters were delightful and cheeky as they executed their harlequinesque antics and the gypsies were spirited in their attack. As the lead jester Brodie James was spectacular, explosive and rather camp. The ensemble moved effortlessly in intricate patterns which never looked cluttered.

Everything about this production just works. The sword fights and the death scenes were all performed with great athleticism and skill. Adam Bull as Tybalt displayed suitable arrogance. Choreographically the ballet veers through genuine tragedy to comedy and light relief: Brett Chynoweth, as Mercutio, was wonderful, full of life and trouble. Also commendable was Teresa Power in the integral role of Juliet’s nurse, dancing the role with vigour. Christopher Rodgers-Wilson, as Lord Paris, convincingly portrayed the proud but spurned would-be husband to Juliet.

The costuming and design could not look fresher or more apt. The rich, jewel hues and luxe velvets worn by the older generation contrast with the simplicity of Juliet’s gowns (although they are also more subtly jeweled) and the villagers’ garb. Jurgen Rose was a young man of 25 when commissioned to create the wardrobe for Cranko’s ballet all those years ago. The set design is both imposing and quite streamlined, using a "bridge" to layer the stage picture, which is displayed to full advantage in the height of the State Theatre stage.

Romeo and Juliet is worth the price of a ticket for the music alone. Prokofiev’s 1930s score is fabulous - stirring, dramatic and romantically lyrical by turns. It is absolutely fitting for this quintessential tale of star-crossed lovers, feuding families, forced marriage, youthful rebellion and the crushing tyranny of entrenched hatred.

Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy but it’s also a crazy ride. Young people making life-ending decisions on impetuous whims? That would never happen! However implausible the violent immediacy of the love, it is irresistible and tender and sad. It’s also rather wonderful to watch the dizzying pace of it all. Bravo to the Australian Ballet for bringing back this classic.

'Romeo and Juliet' continues to October 18 in Melbourne, then moves to the Sydney Opera House from November 1 to 21. There will be a livestream on October 18.

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