Review: The Joffrey Ballet Presents ROMEO & JULIET with an Incredibly Beautiful Modern Take on Society vs. the Individual

The Joffrey Ballet has returned to the Music Center in Los Angeles with the West Coast premiere of their contemporary rendition of Shakespeare's iconic classic ROMEO & JULIET. This critically acclaimed retelling is set amid the tumult of 20th Century Italy, beginning with Mussolini-era 1930s and spanning three decades of political strife, using a multimedia video backdrop to depict the three different political eras, mapping the journey through a contemporary lens, as the story flows from one generation to the next. Set designer extraordinaire Tatyana Van Walsum has costumed the dancers in modern dress, often in striking black and white motifs. With brilliantly artistic choreography by Krzysztof Pastor, The Joffrey Ballet dancers are accompanied by Sergei Prokofiev's dramatic 1935 score, performed live by the Dance at The Music Center orchestra.

A story relevant to generations past and present, Shakespeare's cautionary tale of love serves as a modern metaphor for the influence of society over individual freedom. For although the personal journeys of Romeo & Juliet are integral to the tale, this is a love story within a clear social and political context - the collective identity of the group is considered more important than the desires of its citizens, dooming the young lovers from "opposite sides of the tracks" to their tragic end as their personal lives are molded by the hostilities of the previous era.

Beginning in the 1930s during a time when a rigid dictatorial system had taken over the country, the Capulet family represents the upper-class conservatives with stiff, militaristic movement, while the Montagues represent the liberal low and middle classes, danced with loose, flowing motions laced with pedestrian naturalism. At the performance I attended, the tall and incredibly lithe Fabrice Calmels was a wonder to behold as his long limbs flew through the air as if he was weightless. All the while, Calmels embodied his overbearing and strict personality to a tee, as did Miguel Angel Blanco as Tybalt, both appearing as dark threats dressed completely in black. At the end of the scene as the two groups attempt to avoid killing each other during their ritualistic evening walk, all fall to the floor revealing lovely Jeraldine Mendoza as Juliet, a vision of purity in a light blue slip of a dress.

Rather than being accompanied by her elderly nurse, Juliet is often with her two young friends (Anais Bueno and Nicole Ciapponi) who enjoy a lot more personal freedom, often sneaking away from the Capulets to spend time flirting with Romeo's friends Benvolio (Graham Maverick) and Mercutio (Derrick Agnoletti whose distinct prankster personality was a joy to behold). At the dance, much more like dance sequence in West Side Story, it is her two friends that persuade Juliet to dance with Romeo (Dylan Gutierrez, another tall and amazing leaper).

The two quickly fall in love, but this would be an anathema for both clans, and causes Capulet and Tybalt to turn against Romeo and throw him and his friends out of the house. But as Juliet rises from the stage in a balcony contained in a column, Romeo professes his love in a lovely dance sequence with his tall frame able to lift the much shorter Mendoza to dizzying heights. As they unite and kiss, both families emerge from the darkness behind them and stand in unison in their disapproval.

After a 20-minute intermission, the time period moves to the 1950s during another full cast evening walk as Juliet's two friends alert Romeo that she will meet him at Friar Lawrence's (Rory Hohenstein) who then unites the two in a secret wedding ceremony. It's a heartwarming, but way too quick ceremony, after which Romeo is called back into the street and interrupts an argument between Tybalt and Mercutio. This intricate dance sequence is exciting to watch, even though most viewers already know the outcome with Tybalt killing Mercutio and Romeo then killing Tybalt. Thus the tragedy of the young lovers is set in place.

But not before their wedding night, during which time Romeo never tells her the truth of what has occurred. That task is left to her mother April Daly, who along with her father demand that she marry Paris (Edson Barbosa) so the family line will continue. Of course, Juliet refuses and seeks the counsel of the good Friar for help in escaping committing bigamy with a man she does not love. For even though she is told Romeo killed Tybalt, Juliet still loves him and hopes they can escape together to a place where no one will find them so they can live their lives together in peace.

In a sequence designed to pull at your heartstrings, the Friar who has promised to tell Romeo about the potion and the plan to reunite the lovers, dances across the stage at the same time Romeo crosses so their backs are to each other. The message is not delivered, setting up the tragic ending, which is played out with great heartbreak as the beauty of true love lost is displayed by Romeo, consumed with grief when he discovers what he thinks is Juliet's lifeless body, dancing circles around her as he attempts to revive her, then plunging the same knife with which he killed Tybalt into his own chest since he cannot live without her.

All is quiet for a second until Juliet awakens to find Romeo lying dead across her chest. She too attempts to revive him to garner one more embrace from her love, whose lifeless arm falls to the cold floor. So, with a deep longing to be with her husband for one last time, she grabs Romeo's dagger and takes her own life. As the two lovers lay dead together, both clans enter from the darkness, united in their grief, as they assist each other to lift the bodies and carry them from the stage together.

While this tragic tale is filled with so much heartbreak, the beauty of the Joffrey's staging makes even the darkest moments a thing of beauty to watch. Gasps filled the air with each incredible leap as the deep longing of first love was on display. As shared by Rachel Moore, president and CEO of The Music Center, "This stunning adaptation of ROMEO & JULIET breathes new life into one of the greatest love stories of our time, while beautifully revealing its modern-day relevance. These performances provide a unique opportunity for both new and seasoned audiences alike to experience this classic masterpiece in an entirely new way."

ROMEO & JULIET performances take place at The Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on March 9, 11 & 17, 2018 as part of the 15th season of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center (Dance at The Music Center). The Music Center is also showcasing The Joffrey Ballet during the month of March 2018 with performances presented by LA Opera of ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE on March 10, 15, 18, 21, 24 and 25.

Tickets for both productions at The Music Center are available online at musiccenter.org/joffrey; at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion Box Office, 135 N. Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012; or by calling (213) 972-0711. For groups of 10 or more, call (213) 972-8555 or email mcgroupsales@musiccenter.org.

Photo credit: Cheryl Mann

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