Romeo gate-crashes a ball given by his family's enemies, the Capulets, only to fall in love with their daughter Juliet. Their passion is mutual, but the hatred between their families forces their relationship to a catastrophic conclusion. Originally created for the Lyon Opera and inspired by George Orwell's 1984 Prelijocaj's new rendition of Romeo and Juliet is set in an Eastern European totalitarian state. Against a menacing set designed by the famous comic strip artist Enki Bilal, black leather-suited militia, complete with Alsatian dog, govern over the rat-like vagabonds on the fringes of society. The barrier that separates the two lovers is not family conflict but class struggle, Juliet belonging to the ruling class and Romeo, along with Mercutio and Benevolio, to the socially excluded. Danced to the luscious Prokofiev score, interspersed with an electronic soundscape by Goran Vejvoda, the 24 dancers of Ballet Preljocaj perform with technical brilliance, breathtaking speed and absolute abandon - perfect for the portrayal of two lovers devoured by passion.| 3 Oct 00 to 7 Oct 00 | Sadler's Wells Theatre Inner London, Greater London Performance Details => Venue archive |
