IT'S always reassuring to find that the quality and edge of an opening night is sustained throughout subsequent performances.
So far I'd seen three of Scottish Ballet's other castings for Romeo and Juliet in a revival that certainly does full and caring justice to Cranko's work while demonstrating an impressive spectrum of company strengths.
The current production has not only allowed a host of new talent to shine, often for the first time, in leading roles, it has also made wise use of established dancers like Noriko Ohara, Linda Packer, and Robert Hampton all of whom have long and abiding associations with
the piece.
In truth, I was surprised to find Hampton dancing Romeo at all. For several months now he's been working to recover from fairly radical surgery on vertebrae and discs - an arduous, painful process but one which has obviously left him keen to dance more than occasional character roles.
Now there are, among the young bloods, various star-crossed lovers with ostensibly flashier, fizzier technique than Hampton and
Packer but Cranko's ballet isn't just a matter of steps: it's about dramatic interpretation and this is where intelligent maturity comes into its own. Hampton has the confidence to be tender, even shy. When, in the
balcony scene he showers Juliet's little hands with parting kisses, it is a moment so moving, so sincere that you blink hard. Packer, too, can move you
to tears especially
in the ferociously challenging last act where her wide-eyed terror, her sudden stillness and resolve remind you that here is a child embracing
womanhood and death in the
same moment.
Time has given them insights and these are what illuminate the
performances, though both of them are still well in control of every bit of technique.
Vladislov Bubnov proves to be an
intriguingly serious Romeo, ready to join in the japes and larks with his laddish chums - Campbell McKenzie is a very boisterous Errol Flynn buckaroo of a
Mercutio - but touchingly solemn when the full emotional and political impact of his feelings for Juliet sinks in. His thoughtfulness makes absolute sense when one looks at the incredible childlike innocence that the exquisite Tamara Rojo brings to Juliet. She is transparently unworldy. But that said, both her technique and her acting ability ensure that she explores the darker, tragic depths of the character.Valeria Tsoi -who danced Juliet at Edinburgh's Festival Theatre yesterday afternoon - is also an accomplished technician but so
far has still to find her own personality for the girl.
No such problems for her Romeo Ygor Yebra, whose happy-go-lucky flirt is very much the kind of boy parents warn their daughters of Handsome, with a lovely springy athleticism in his dance, he has a pleasing onstage presence that draws the eye, a ready smile that infects his whole performance.
Definitely a name to watch for the future. Sadly we won't be able to watch - or rather listen to -
the company orchestra for much longer: I have never heard such an intense, impassioned reading of Prokofiev's music - it made the hairs on one's neck tingle.
n The production is in Edinburgh until the weekend, before touring to Aberdeen and then south.
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article