“Romeo & Juliet” by Matthew Bourne’s New Prospectives
Nottingham Theatre Royal

This production not only is a consistent reminder how exquisite and novel the vision Sir Matthew Bourne has where theatre and ballet is concerned, but also the magic of William Shakespeare’s story of the two lovers separated by family and belief.

This futuristic version is set inside the clinical white tiled Verona Institute where the young people are practically brain washed into conforming to the Institute’s vision. And while the story stays intact, the whole feel and image is a totally different one to anything that I have seen previously. It is completely stunning to drink in this whole experience.And there's a very dramatic ending!

Romeo is taken to the institution by his famed parents, where he is bullied, but after fits into Institution life. There are both boys and girls in the Institution and when it comes to the "dance" at the Institution, it's all done very proper, with the "inmates" overseen by some burly guards who are strictly against any "funny business" between the sexes. How hypocritical though as the biggest and burliest of the guards is taking liberties!!

The mood changes though when the guards are out of the way and the dancing takes on a more intimate feel, quite literally. It's at this dance that Romeo lays eyes on his Juliet. That is where this love story starts.

Directed and Choreographed by Sir Matthew Bourne, you just cannot fault this man, his talent, his vision and his ability to tell one of the best and most beloved of stories and give it such a wonderful modern twist. And all of this told, with humour and without a word spoken.

The set is wonderful and clinical, designed by Lez Brotherston, who was also responsible for the simple costume design.

The music for this production was composed by Prokofiev, and straight from the start with "The March Of The Knights" - recognisable as the theme from "The Apprentice" - we are carried away with the dramatic score.

There's no use me mentioning all of these incredible dancers,because absolutely no one outshone any of the others. They all shone with the brightest of lights, and I sat there drinking in the magic and talent of these theatrical athletes.

It's a very young cast, some only seventeen years old but WOW!, the athleticism and strength combined with their incredible musicality and dance skills just made this the most magical of experiences since the last Sir Matthew Bourne production.

Cordelia Braithwaite (Juliet) and Paris Fitzpatrick (Romeo) were sizzling and sexy and you could not take your eyes off of this pair when they were on stage. They were tender and passionate which shrouded their physical power within the dance. They were, together and separately, magnetic to watch.

I must also mention the baddie of the piece Dan Wright, who played the guard. Dan is a big man but he shows that not all ballet dancers have to be small and slightly built, because, despite his physical size, he practically floated around the stage. There was one stage, during the fight scene where Romeo attacked the guard, which was completely effortless.

You can't help admiring this cast's talent and stamina. They are athletes at peak physical fitness with core strength that many sportsmen would admire.

The production also includes several dancers from Nottingham, Seirian Griffiths, Sua Tsubokura-Aguiriano and Alistair Fernie and Jaimie Tank from Leicester. It's great to see such a young group so serious about ballet, which in turn will attract young people to go to the theatre to watch ballet.

Ballet is no longer all tutus, ballet pumps and tights, it's incredibly now, and that blend of an amazing visionary like Matthew Bourne, and an incredible group of dancers that make ballet such a modern and exciting dance form and theatre experience.

“Romeo & Juliet” is at the Nottingham Theatre Royal until Saturday 5 October.You'd be a fool to miss this production.