Matthew Bourne's R&J at Sadler's Wells

[Sim]

Does anyone know if the music for this show is live or recorded?  Asking for a friend (really!)....

 

It opens on August 1st so any discussion/reviews here please.

[Jan McNulty]

Last time I saw it at The Lowry it was a recorded score but sometimes (not for this production) when I have seen a production at SW there has been a live orchestra when there hasn't been on tour.

 

[San Perregrino]

SW box office think it’s an orchestra 

[Emeralds]

The SW Stalls seating start at rows AA and BB in front of their row A and there’s currently no orchestra or conductor in their credits among the creative credits....at this stage (pun not intended) I’d have to say recorded music if pushed to guess. A friend and his wife who caught their Sleeping Beauty on tour last season were disappointed that the music was recorded (that also wasn’t clear on the pre-show publicity then). 

[alison]

It's fairly standard for New Adventures' performances on tour to be to recorded music, but I think that at Sadler's Wells they usually have an orchestra.  That may not be the case this time for various reasons, though.

[Sim]

I just spoke to someone at Sadler's Wells who said there is definitely a live orchestra.  Strange that they don't mention that or the conductor on the production's page on their website.  

[Jan McNulty]

5 hours ago, Emeralds said:

The SW Stalls seating start at rows AA and BB in front of their row A and there’s currently no orchestra or conductor in their credits among the creative credits....at this stage (pun not intended) I’d have to say recorded music if pushed to guess. A friend and his wife who caught their Sleeping Beauty on tour last season were disappointed that the music was recorded (that also wasn’t clear on the pre-show publicity then). 

 

But the space for a small pit has been taken out with the stalls starting at row BB.

[art_enthusiast]

So the music is the Prokofiev score?

I've never seen this production before but very much looking forward to it

[Sim]

43 minutes ago, art_enthusiast said:

So the music is the Prokofiev score?

I've never seen this production before but very much looking forward to it

Yes it is.  From the SW website:

 

with Terry Davies’ thrillingly fresh orchestrations of Prokofiev’s dynamic score.

[San Perregrino]

3 hours ago, art_enthusiast said:

So the music is the Prokofiev score?

I've never seen this production before but very much looking forward to it

 i believe that the Prokoviev Estate gave permission for the score to be adapted. its works very well.

[Emeralds]

10 hours ago, Jan McNulty said:

 

But the space for a small pit has been taken out with the stalls starting at row BB.

I’m not able to attend this, but I personally prefer dance performances to have live music, even if it’s just a small group of musicians or one pianist. Awaiting reviews from @art_enthusiast and others with great interest!

[JennyTaylor]

Does anyone know specific casts for specific dates please?  I can't find it anywhere - just cast ensemble.   I have a ticket for tomorrow and am very keen to know who is performing

[Emeralds]

4 hours ago, JennyTaylor said:

Does anyone know specific casts for specific dates please?  I can't find it anywhere - just cast ensemble.   I have a ticket for tomorrow and am very keen to know who is performing

Only what I gleaned from the company website but I can’t work out who you will get tomorrow, @JennyTaylor- 

 

Romeo- Paris Fitzpatrick, Andrew Monaghan

Juliet- Cordelia Braithwaite, Monique Jonas

Tybalt - Danny Reubens, Richard Winsor 

(typed in alphabetical order like the website- eg it doesn’t mean that the first names are first cast or dancing with each other)

 

Sorry not to be able to provide more info as to whom you’ll be seeing, but I recognise some of the names of their lead dancers from previous performances on stage/tv who are very good, though. 

 

Just tickled to see that they have a Cordelia and a Paris in their company, who are not dancing those particular Shakespearean roles. 😉🎭  

 

To reassure @Sim and her friend and other patrons asking, a note on the company website confirms that the Sadler’s Wells shows have “Live Orchestra” although I can’t find a conductor name or indication of whether it’s a small chamber group or a full size ensemble like RB Sinfonia was at ROH last week. Maybe they will appear later? 

[zxDaveM]

13 hours ago, JennyTaylor said:

Does anyone know specific casts for specific dates please?  I can't find it anywhere - just cast ensemble.   I have a ticket for tomorrow and am very keen to know who is performing

 

I think they usually put up a poster in the foyer with that night's cast

[JennyTaylor]

A shame, as I particularly wanted to see Andrew Monaghan, but I will just have to wait and see when I get there.  Bad luck if you wish to book for any specific performer

[San Perregrino]

25 minutes ago, JennyTaylor said:

A shame, as I particularly wanted to see Andrew Monaghan, but I will just have to wait and see when I get there.  Bad luck if you wish to book for any specific performer

With up to 8 shows a week of a production that tours for many months, MB philosophy is that casting can change at any time before curtain up. 

[Emeralds]

3 hours ago, JennyTaylor said:

A shame, as I particularly wanted to see Andrew Monaghan, but I will just have to wait and see when I get there.  Bad luck if you wish to book for any specific performer

They did give casting details (actual dates and several roles) when they presented The Car Man at the Albert Hall in June last year, so it’s bad luck, I agree, that they’re not doing so this time (the ticket sale situation currently  looks like advance notice of casting eg a week before) would help their box office. Even a scheduled list with last minute cast changes is better than nothing. Checking the dancers’ Instagram public posts and other social media posts might reveal some info. Fingers crossed Andrew Monaghan coincidentally ends up dancing Romeo at your show, Jenny! 🍀

[JennyTaylor]

Not lucky, and even worse of course, I can’t book another ticket as there is no published cast. 

[serenade]

Just got home from seeing this and just wanted to give a heads up to anyone who is going that the plot of this R&J centres a lot on rape/sexual assault.
I wouldn’t usually do a trigger warning of sorts, it’s just with him calling it Romeo and Juliet, and there not being any mention of this on the website (that I could see), I didn’t want someone else to book it thinking they knew broadly what story they were getting so if the subject matter upsets you I wouldn’t book for this. 

[JennyTaylor]

Yes, I agree with @serenade  There are health warnings in the programme, but it's probably a bit late then if you are already there.  I certainly felt uncomfortable with some of the content, but I don't like anything with that sort of content, full stop. Others may not be concerned.  

 

Powerful production, definitely more West Side Story than R&J but with added violence. Excellent dancing and wonderful music. The live "mini" orchestra were superb and Prokofiev is done full justice. 

 

Quite an experience all round. I'm still deciding what to think.  It's dance rather than ballet. I did find the Balcony scene pdd moving and it also shows how hard it is to match McMillan's choreography for romantic effect though I think Matthew Bourne had a good shot at it, albeit with a very different style of dancing.    

 

  

Edited August 1, 2023 by JennyTaylor
typo

[HopelessMummy]

Tickets still on sale with kids week for 50% off

 

Also another offer with selected shows tue, wed and thur 50% off until 6.8 using code SPARKS50

[JennyTaylor]

I wouldn’t recommend taking children, especially young ones

[Tango Dancer]

2 hours ago, JennyTaylor said:

I wouldn’t recommend taking children, especially young ones

 

Definitely not! I went to it before lockdown when it first was shown and it is in no way suitable for children.  It wasn't my favourite piece but it was interesting and thought provoking so I have got a cheap ticket for it this time to see if I like it better on a second viewing.  

[AnnabelCharles]

I loved it - found it both electrifying and very moving. Yes, there were elements that were dark, especially the menacing and abusive atmosphere in the institution and the killing of Tybalt, but I found them less disturbing than the rape scene in Manon or much of Mayerling. I think this was because the overwhelming impression for me was the power and beauty of young love. I liked the arrangement of the Prokofiev score (though you have to adjust to it being different from what you're used to) and the dancing was terrific.

 

I agree it's not suitable for children - the website clearly says for ages 14+ - but I could imagine older teenagers loving it - and the audience last night certainly enjoyed the show.

 

I've said this before, but I paid £22.40 (membership rate) for a seat in the second circle with a pretty good view (lost a bit of the dancers' heads when they were on the balcony) which I think is a real bargain and one reason why I go to SW much more often than ROH.

[art_enthusiast]

I’ve just seen the first act. Trying to process it at the moment!

 

I didn’t get a programme. Could anyone confirm, where exactly is it set? I’m assuming a prison or a mental hospital/some sort of school?

[Tango Dancer]

32 minutes ago, art_enthusiast said:

I’ve just seen the first act. Trying to process it at the moment!

 

I didn’t get a programme. Could anyone confirm, where exactly is it set? I’m assuming a prison or a mental hospital/some sort of school?

 

I always thought it was set in a cross between a prison and an asylum.  I don't think it's ever exactly made clear what the institute is.  I always thought it was somewhere like Rampton or Broadmoor.  

[Emeralds]

On 03/08/2023 at 20:37, art_enthusiast said:

I’ve just seen the first act. Trying to process it at the moment!

 

I didn’t get a programme. Could anyone confirm, where exactly is it set? I’m assuming a prison or a mental hospital/some sort of school?

The Guardian review said prison. Sorry I can’t help with any personal insights- only saw it on tv years ago and forgot. Was not terribly keen on it then! (I felt like it had literally lost the plot- there’s a story in there of some kind, but it wasn’t Romeo and Juliet! Needed a new title, I thought.) 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 7, 2023 by Emeralds

[serenade]

On 03/08/2023 at 20:37, art_enthusiast said:

I’ve just seen the first act. Trying to process it at the moment!

 

I didn’t get a programme. Could anyone confirm, where exactly is it set? I’m assuming a prison or a mental hospital/some sort of school?

I checked on the New adventures website at the time and it said the exact location and time period in which it’s set is left purposefully non-specific and that the audience are left to make their own minds up about where and when it exists.  It’s under their Learn and Explore section. 

 

[San Perregrino]

8 hours ago, serenade said:

I checked on the New adventures website at the time and it said the exact location and time period in which it’s set is left purposefully non-specific and that the audience are left to make their own minds up about where and when it exists.  It’s under their Learn and Explore section. 

 

very Mr McGregorish

[art_enthusiast]

On 07/08/2023 at 22:35, Emeralds said:

(I felt like it had literally lost the plot- there’s a story in there of some kind, but it wasn’t Romeo and Juliet! Needed a new title, I thought.) 

 

I do see your point. A very different take on the story, but done incredibly well I would say. I really enjoyed it - I don't know who I saw last Thursday as I didn't get a cast sheet, but they were all brilliant, the emotion portrayed was very palpable. I was surprised at how well it did go with the original Prokofiev score (which I thought was played beautifully). 

[alison]

New Adventures don't do cast sheets: they have a display somewhere in the foyer showing who's dancing what role.

[Tango Dancer]

Having been at a loose end last night I popped along to Sadler's Wells for this.  I wasn't hugely optimistic, not having enjoyed it as much in 2019 (I think) when it premiered.  I was actually favorably impressed with it.  

 

I don't think it's really an authentic retelling of Romeo and Juliet because there's no sense of the familial feud / children standing against their parents.  The institutional setting they use makes it feel less connected to the source material.  I also really didn't like the ending because it felt a bit like it had come out of nowhere and Juliet suddenly became unstable without it being shown beforehand.   

 

That said i liked the group dances very much.  They were well choreographed and set out.  I also loved the first dance between R&J under the glitterball.  They had lovely chemistry together.  The white pajamas on everyone made it a bit hard to say who was who in the supporting cast.  Cordelia Braithwaite was lovely as Juliet, really clean and neat as a dancer.  Paris Fitzpatrick danced well as Romeo although he didn't come across as the most characterful dancer ever.  Richard Winsor was a swaggering, brutal Tybalt and he acted the part really well in addition to being a talented dancer. 

 

The orchestra did a good job of the score (although I thought they used "Dance of the Knights" a bit much) and the dances fit the music well. 

 

On balance though it was a pleasant way to spend the time.  I won't say it's my favourite version of the ballet but I liked it better than I did the first time I saw it.  So I'd probably recommend it.