Revisiting a Familiar Tale
“Romeo & Juliet”
The Washington Ballet
Opera House
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Washington, D.C.
February 17, 2018
John Cranko’s “Romeo & Juliet” performed by the Washington Ballet this past Saturday, like all performances based upon these two star-crossed lovers, was marinated in dramatic irony. Most, if not all, audience members knew the fate of the gentle Juliet and her fair Romeo, yet despite this certainty, the anticipation of the afternoon performance was palpable. Before the production, Artistic Director Julie Kent addressed the audience, emphasizing the Washington Ballet’s aspirations to recapture the traditional and produce a ballet of significant recognition and familiarity.
First performed by the Stuttgart Ballet in 1962, Cranko’s version of the all too familiar tale set to Prokofiev’s famed score relies heavily on the performers and their ability to transform into their roles. While intricate costumes and ominous, sizable set designs aid in the storytelling, Cranko’s choreographic masterpiece centers the focus on the dancers themselves. EunWon Lee’s Juliet exhibited effortless technical prowess and a fragility perfectly suited to the role, and Gian Carlo Perez’s Romeo stood out with his exemplary ability to partner. Nevertheless, this production would not have been as powerful without Andile Ndlovu’s stellar performance as Mercutio.
As a character, Mercutio’s main purpose is comedic reprieve from the tragic tale, and Ndlovu’s expressive portrayal of Romeo’s trusty side-kick, with his mischievous smirks and saucy showmanship, did not disappoint. He proved himself technically through his solo appearances and served his character’s purpose by playfully interacting with Romeo and Benvolio. Ndlovu’s Mercutio commanded attention, employing flashy smiles and undulating port de bras, in the process lifting the hopes of those initially prepared for tragedy. His lively dance quality gave the audience with an opportunity to overlook the ending they knew too well, and to once more become enchanted by Romeo and Juliet’s burgeoning romance. After a solo from Mercutio, the audience later returned to the pas de deux of Romeo and Juliet with a lighter mindset and brighter spirit.
Throughout the carnival in act two, the jubilant atmosphere established by Romeo and Juliet’s declared love continued, paired with Mercutio and Benvolio’s jibes and jokes. An exciting and celebratory setting was established, where the carnival king and clowns entertained with peppy footwork and showy somersaults. The lighthearted atmosphere was quickly overpowered by adversarial tension once Tybalt, played by Oscar Sanchez, appeared. Mercutio’s snarky attitude added to the spectacle of the duel which ensued between the two. His drawn-out death scene was extensively dramatic and theatrical in nature, within the bounds of his established character, yet shifting in dimension. Ndlovu achieved a dynamic persona which from his initial introduction to his traumatic death had the audience on the edge of their seats.
Mercutio’s death signified an end to the joyful atmosphere prevalent throughout the ballet, transitioning into a somber final act. With Ndlovu’s jerking, bordering on sarcastic end, the audience was reminded of the inescapable fate of the main protagonists. EunWon Lee’s technical proficiency was abandoned due to Cranko’s vision, in which Juliet dashes repeatedly across the stage, relying upon the dancer’s acting ability to convey the story. Ultimately, Romeo and Juliet’s deaths were heart-wrenching, despite the fact that all along we knew how their love story would end.
In a timeless classic like “Romeo & Juliet,” the attention is always on the two lovers. People come to the theatre in order to witness a tragedy that they know will make their hearts bleed. The consistent effect that this story in particular has on its audience would not exist with such pungency without the humor and playful spirit exhibited by characters like Mercutio. Ndlovu’s performance at Saturday’s matinee made us forget Romeo and Juliet’s fate, it made us fall in love with the two star-crossed lovers all over again.
copyright © 2018 by Arielle Ostry
