RB 'Romeo and Juliet' reviews Rojo in reviews Makhateli in reviews recent RB reviews more Graham Watts reviews

Prokoviev's score, written in a few short weeks in the Summer of 1935, is one of the great works of the 20th century, finely balanced between symphonic and balletic heights and carrying some of the most captivating lyrical themes ever written. It shouldn’t fail to lift the spirits.

The first cast lovers were Tamara Rojo, who also opened La Bayadère last week, and relative newcomer, David Makhateli, a First Soloist, born in Georgia, who joined the Royal Ballet from Houston Ballet, where he was a Principal. ‘Relative’ because he is a product of the Royal Ballet School, from whence he graduated in 1992, and he appeared as a guest artist as both Romeo and Des Grieux, last season.

My jury is still out with regard to David. He is certainly a very sensitive and supportive partner and there was sparkling chemistry between the lovers. We saw magic at the moment that their eyes first meet and, as it should be, momentarily forgot that there are 60 other people on the stage. When their hands first touch in the balcony scene, it is as if an electric shock passes through them.

He is also one of the first Romeos I have seen to successfully convey the essence of the character’s journey from very weak, rich boy about town, who enjoys a laugh with his mates and fooling around with the local harlots, to the highest principles of noble and romantic love.

However, and it is rather a big but, I find Makhateli's solo dancing leaves something to be desired. It sometimes seems ragged, sometimes rushed, sometimes the line or the balance is not quite right. None of this applies all of the time but it does leave a question mark. I felt that in the Act I Scene III dance with Mercutio (Martin Harvey) and Benvolio (Ed Watson), outside the Capulets’ House, Harvey and Watson were much smoother whenever comparisons could reasonably be applied.

Tamara Rojo progressively enhances her portrayal of Juliet and this was a very expressive and powerful performance in every sense. The key bookends of her first scene as the young girl, clutching her doll, unaware of her development or attractiveness as a woman and the final, harrowing death scene were exceptionally observed at opposite ends of the artistic spectrum.

In the supporting cast, Elizabeth McGorian was, as always, memorable in the grief-stricken role of Lady Capulet; Martin Harvey danced and acted strongly as Mercutio in his inimitable ‘Jack the Lad’ way; Bennet Gartside gave a full-on, high energy lead to the Mandolin dance (having quickly changed from his comparatively nondescript cameo as the Prince of Verona); Juliet’s Friends (Bond, Crawford, Duprot, Keating, Kobayashi and Salerno) were all delightful; and the three harlots (Vanessa Palmer, Isabel McMeekan, Deirdre Chapman) were great fun but Zenaida Yanowsky remains untouchable in this part! The whole cast’s acting at the disparate moments of comedy and high drama in the market place scenes was first class.

I wish I could give the same credit to the stage fighting. Given that the fight sequences are essential aids to the choreography with the meeting of the blades creating an added dimension to both the movement and the sound, I was disappointed that some dancers held their epees as if they were meat cleavers. This meant that, whilst the steps worked, there were frequent moments when blades were missed or, more appropriately, not where they should have been at the right time to make contact with the opponent’s blade. Some performers, such as William Tuckett (as Tybalt) seemed to have reasonable control of their sword as a prop, but none seemed capable of using it as an extension of their body's architecture and line.

There have been 363 performances of ‘Romeo & Juliet’ at the Royal Opera House. It is a significant work central to the company’s repertoire. The mix of MacMillan’s choreography and Prokoviev’s music, particularly when delivered by the Royal Ballet, merits very special performances time after time – this one, although still enjoyable, didn’t quite scale the heights that their work deserves.