Last night I was able to lose myself in The English National Ballet’s, Rendition of Romeo and Juliet at the Palace Theatre Manchester. And sometimes leaving home on a rainy autumn night when you have a job list that makes you weep feels indulgent. But as sit and allow the story to take you, it makes you realise exactly why its important to battle the traffic and rain on such days.
My love for the Ballet has grown over recent years, and it’s something I wish I had discovered earlier. Ballet has the power to free your mind from the everyday worries and chaos. The music and the story take over and transform you into a trance-like state, as you feel the music, dance and the story from within.
What You Will Find Here
About The English National Ballet’s Romeo and Juliet
You don’t need to know anything about ballet to fall in love with Romeo and Juliet. It is the story of two young lovers from feuding families in Renaissance Verona, whose romance is doomed from the start.
Rudolf Nureyev created the production in 1977. At that time, the company was called London Festival Ballet, now known as the English National Ballet. Nureyev created it to celebrate the Queen’s Silver Jubilee; it won an Olivier Award in its first year. With a glorious score created by Sergei Prokofiev in 1935.
Expect lavish costumes, period sets, thrilling sword fights and bustling crowd scenes. There are also tender moments between the lovers. It is as gripping as any play or film, so the emotion comes across even if you have never seen a ballet before.
In this performance, Rentaro Nakaaki danced Romeo, and Julia Conway danced Juliet. They led a company that brought the feuding Capulets and Montagues, the lively townspeople and the heartbreaking final chapter to life.
My Review
I adored this ballet. As it moved through the acts, the drama built steadily, and the result was glorious.
Julia Conway’s emotion was off the scale. You felt her conflict and pain the whole way through, and her performance drew me completely into Juliet’s story. The whole company were perfection, with such beauty and grace. At times you didn’t know where to look, because there was so often something going on in every corner of the stage.
Rentaro Nakaaki and Julia Conway share incredible chemistry, and as the story develops, you can feel the love, the anguish and the pain. Before long, the story takes over like magic.
The Dance of the Knights sets the scene and tone in Act One. It’s so dramatic that you feel the conflict between the families as the tension builds and builds. Acts Two and Three are phenomenal, as everything builds towards its tragic end. Romeo and Juliet is a truly wonderful experience that pulls you in and holds you almost entranced until the final curtain.
Should You See English National Ballet Romeo and Juliet?
Absolutely. If you are new to ballet, this is a wonderful place to start, because the story is familiar and the music is stunning. Even on a wet night, it was worth every minute.
Where Can I See The English National Ballet’s Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is playing at the Palace Theatre in Manchester until the 25th October. You can get tickets here.
Please note I was gifted the tickets, but under no obligation to review. See here for parking advice to get theatre parking rates.
