'Romeo and Juliet’

Press, 9 December 1988, Page 6

'Romeo and Juliet’

The Royal New Zealand Ballet "Romeo and Juliet.” Theatre Royal, December 7 to 10. 8.05 to 10.40 p.m. Reviewed by Sherril Cooper. In this full-scale, three act ballet, Malcolm Burn’s version of Shakespeare’s tender tragedy offers a most satisfying evening. This is a production distinguished by its superb and sumptuous stage design and exquisite lighting, whose choreography, while sometimes somewhat uninspired, nevertheless has a wonderful impetus. Fully exploring both the classical and demi-char-acter capabilities of the company dancers, Bum has instilled in them both speed and lightness. “Gallop apace, you fieryfooted steeds” cried Juliet, and they did. An earthy vigour propels the market place scenes, the three harlots in particular, and Karin Wakefield, Lee Patrice and Sherree Meletti toss off their whirling pas de trois with panache.

Kerry-Anne Gilberd produces a quicksilver Juliet, an earnest, tempestuous adolescent. Her inde-

fatigable technique provides a sound base for what emerges as the major role, allowing flexibility and freedom for her willowy arabesques and fluid arms. A subtle maturing graces this performance as the tale unfolds and Gilberd gives a fey, lambent account of some lovely sequences in Act 111.

Brando Miranda, a boyish and likeable Romeo, was not an ideal physical match for this Juliet, but his buoyant dancing was imbued with ardour and his partnering excellent in the balcony pas de deux. Romeo has always proved a problematic role for actors and dancers alike, be they Olivier or Nureyev, and must be balanced against the harsh nature of Tybalt, danced with lean, hard, unrelenting aggression by Kilian O’Callaghan. Of Romeo's friends, Takeshi Sekiguchi has created a humorously Italianate Mercutio who truly dances the sword edge. Between impressive sword fights and idiot capering Sekiguchi showed off an attractive ballon and- a series of

smart turns. Webster Dean balanced the trio beautifully with a quieter style and their Act I pas de trois was deliciously roguish.

From the fearsome grandeur of the Capulets’ ball to the garden full of “moonshine’s watery beams” Burn’s concept had many high points. Sharing the top billing was the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, not only because of its seniority and size, but by virtue of the wonderful sea of sound it produced under the baton of Ashley Lawrence. Prokofiev’s powerful and all-embracing score, full of melody and colour poured forth with such passion that it would have been a challenge to any ballet company to match it.

Act 111 opens with a spine-chilling chord and the concluding scenes are given a desperate and haunting quality by the company, underlining the solitariness of the major figures of the drama especially in the almost empty crypt where headlong passion brings two young people to their end. r