BWW Reviews: Dances Patrelle Presents ROMEO AND JULIET

Francis Patrelle, the artistic director/resident choreographer of Dances Patrelle says in a program note that prior to 1982 he had never seen any version of the Romeo and Juliet ballet. It certainly sounds strange to me. Where had he been all that time? It seems that everyone I knew in the dance world had seen some production of it. Even my brothers, who detest ballet, had seen the Fonteyn/Nureyev movie. Be that as it may, I won't hold it against him.

You know that quote from Romeo and Juliet, "A plague on both your houses." Well, in this production each act begins with the plagues flitting about the stage. I can understand it once, but why three times? The point was made, as was the music that opened the third act and here was reiterated three times. Also, the silly costumes made them look like players in a children's show. They didn't scare me. Although they might have amused Cole Porter.

That's just the beginning. Juliet's nurse, usually portrayed as something akin to a saint, is here depicted as a rather bawdy wench, as they would say in Shakespearean language. We get to see her bloomers, which is kind of silly, but why not. She also dances on point-strange for someone along in years. Then there's Lady Capulet, Juliet's mother, and Tybalt, a member of the Capulet household. In most productions there's an insinuation of an affair, especially after Romeo kills Tybalt at the end of act two. Here there's no doubt. These two are nuts for each other, a fact that Lord Capulet notices and tries to overcome-but it just doesn't work. From what I gather, this Tybalt has something that Capulet can't offer. I wonder what it is. And finally, the stairs way upstage. It seems that every time a character wants to get to another destination he must go up and down the stairs to get there. What, with going up the down staircase and down the up staircase and on and on, I thought a call to an orthopedist would be necessary.

Putting that aside, the afternoon proved to be a pleasant affair. Alex Castillo as Romeo and Chloe Shreman as Juliet made an ardent couple, and if their dancing still is a bit short on technique, their ardor and immersion in their characters was admirable. I would like to see them in the future, as they both have strong personalities and, from what I can detect, total devotion to any role they undertake. I hope Colleen Neary will continue to help them in their journey for ultimate success.

I would also like to extend gracious nods to Amy Brandt as Rosaline. Matthew Dibble as Mercutiio, Josh Christopher as Benvolio and Grant Dettling and Heather Hawk as, respectively, Tybalt and Lady Capulet. You both kept the whole thing from disintegrating into a camp frolic.

Since I'm so used to seeing Romeo and Juliet on a wide stage, it came as a surprise that this ballet can easily be played on a smaller one. And while this production certainly taxed me with its foolishness, it also showed imagination-if only that imagination could have been put to better use with stronger dramatic detail and less overbearing cuteness. I hope the choreographer takes that into account if he revives this production again.

Photo: Rosalie O'Connor

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