A Review of Northern Ballet’s Romeo & Juliet at The Leeds Playhouse

Harris Beattie and Saeka Shirai in Romeo and Juliet. Photo Emily Nuttall.

It is often noted that the Romans believed that in order to be a valuable, emotionally well citizen, you must witness the power of theatre. To experience catharsis through drama, tragedy and humour alike. To face your fears in creative therapy, so to speak. It is fitting then, particularly for me, a tired mother and writer, in need of a break, that together with my good friends Juliet, Su and I, we found ourselves in ‘Fair Verona’ last night, to witness a retelling of the most famous love story of all: Romeo & Juliet.

Reborn once again in Northern Ballet‘s spectacular adaptation at the Leeds Playhouse (18-21 June), this magnetic and heart-pounding production set to Prokofiev’s powerful and emotive score, is truly unmissable. It left no dry eye in the house by final bows with a roaring standing ovation at curtain call, for this world-class cast and production.

Harris Beattie and Saeka Shirai in Romeo and Juliet. Photo Emily Nuttall.

I intentionally use the term cast rather than ballet company, as their excellence in dance is rivalled only by their acting, so much so, this is the closest adaptation I’ve seen in any medium, which felt reminiscent of beloved Baz Luhrmann’s cinematic masterpiece starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Clare Danes of 1996 (which for an English Literature A Level student at the time felt formative to me, in the way it taught me as much about storytelling as character-building, romantic love).

As the audience, you’re immediately transported to memories of your own first love, at 16 or 17 years old, that urgent, obsessive, unbearable type of love. It is all-consuming and vital. You simply cannot breathe without one another. Or live, as in this ill-fated couple’s case. Romeo played by the handsome Harris Beattie aided my trip down Memory Lane with his floppy sun kissed hair, wide, kind eyes, and movie star presence worthy of any 90s heartthrob. He is Northern Ballet’s Leo!

Harris Beattie in Romeo and Juliet. Photo Emily Nuttall.

The chemisty between him and the graceful, achingly beautiful Saeka Shirai, was so electric, it almost felt intrusive the witness the depth of their connection. The inclusion of sensual pieces between them both, often times, as other dancers behind them were frozen in time, forcing our gaze, intially towards their ‘cute meet’ and later the cementing of their bond, and consummation of their love, invested us fully in their relastionship, and primed us for the heartwrenching fallout of the finale, and confused, double suicide to come.

Blood on the hands of Juliet’s mother, Lady Capulet (expertly played by Helen Bogatch) when her nephew, Tybalt (George Liang) was killed by Romeo in vengeance of his best friend Mercutio’s murder, felt poignant, as the next generation were pointlessly dying at the hands of their elders.

This turning point raised the stakes further for the ill-fated lovers, before Paris arrived for Juliet’s hand in marriage.

The Machiavellians amongst the ensemble performed with such passion and vigour, mostly to the famous Dance of the Knights (otherwise known as Montagues and Capulets written by Prokofiev in 1935, and popularised by The Apprentice) on repeat, making each and every character compelling. It was impossible to look away even for a moment. Even blinking felt frustrating. The two hours flew by, as we collectively willed it to never end. 

Northern Ballet dancers in Romeo and Juliet. Photo Tristram Kenton.

The painful shade was expertly balanced with light relief, found in the perfect comic timing of Yu Wakizuka as Mercutio and the hilarious Harriet Marden as the Nurse.

Boundaries are pushed throughout the production with an emphasis on sensuality, and kissing between the leads, which added depth, as did minor changes to the plot, as a child ominously perishes at the start due to the warring families’ battles, forewarning us of the tragedies and further sacrifices to come. 

This is a high stakes, high production value production led firstly, and wholly with heart. It is clear that emotion has driven every single creative decision, and what follows is a perfect storm of effortless and emotive ballet, set design, costumes, lighting and music.

A stand-out moment at the close of Act 2 after Romeo and Juliet marry in secret, is the shocking descent of a sheet of 80 kg of rice mimicking a hailstorm in a staggering act of ‘pathetic fallacy’ and precursor of this doomed union.

Northern Ballet dancers in Romeo and Juliet. Photo Tristram Kenton.

Adapted by Christopher Gable CBE and Massimo Moricone, it is no wonder Romeo & Juliet is one of Northern Ballet’s most beloved and critically acclaimed productions. It was extraordinary.

Saeka Shirai in Romeo and Juliet. Photo Emily Nuttall

Federico Bonelli, Artistic Director Northern Ballet, said: “We are delighted to be back at Leeds Playhouse with Romeo & Juliet. This ballet, created by Northern Ballet legends Christopher Gable CBE and Massimo Moricone, is a tour de force of ballet, drama and storytelling. It’s a production which we are proud to call a Northern Ballet classic, a real cornerstone of what makes the Company who we are. It has also been a true labour of love as the company worked to bring back the ballet – from the sets, costumes and the choreography – after it was destroyed in the 2015 Boxing Day floods. Audiences at Leeds Playhouse are in for an extra treat as we perform on their thrust stage which means you will be even closer to the action, feeling every breath of this emotional story.”

And we felt just that.

Prepare to be wowed, and like the Romans before you, to experience catharsis for the duration, as you forget your own woes, hopes and very existence, losing yourself fully in this compelling and timeless retelling of two star-crossed lovers who would rather die than live apart.