Matthew Bourne's Romeo and Juliet London Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (33)
See it if you love twist on classics and great choreography
Don't see it if your expecting musical
See it if You want to see a Matthew Bourne masterpiece. Stunning choreography and incredible storytelling brought to life by amazing dancers.
Don't see it if You’re not prepared to think!
See it if You love dance or a new take on a classic. It’s dark, sexy and brutal but also beautiful. Typical Bourne.
Don't see it if You hate new takes on shows or struggle with difficult subjects.
See it if you'd enjoy a contemporary twist on the classic love story, incorporating somewhat unexpected themes told in exquisite choreography.
Don't see it if you prefer a more traditional version of the tale, or a more in-depth exploration of some of the themes and issues discussed in the show.
See it if you like Bourne
Don't see it if you expect R&J
See it if you are a fan of the story but want a fresh perspective.
Don't see it if you only like originals and don't anyone to mess with an original.
See it if You enjoy retellings of classic stories. You enjoy more contemporary ballet that’s easier to follow than classic ballet.
Don't see it if You don’t enjoy ballet. There were some dark themes incorporated into this retold version.
See it if Matthew Bourne is brilliant with everything he does and this is no exception.
Don't see it if Reworking of ballets is not your thing and you're more of a traditionalist.
Critic Reviews (5)
"...Bourne makes the central love story feel fresh and urgent, propelled by Terry Davies’s edgy rendering of Prokofiev’s classic ballet score. From the opening image of two bloodied bodies on a mortuary slab, this certainly isn’t going to be a beautiful death."
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“The second half barrels downhill to tragedy – but leans so hard on this trajectory that it flattens out the story...Even so, ‘Bourne’s Romeo and Juliet’ harnesses youthful ardour in a goosebumping night of dance.”
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“Unsurprisingly Bourne’s choreography is full of power and edge especially when set to the classic music of Prokofiev which has been reorchestrated by Terry Davies...’Romeo + Juliet’ is the perfect combination of classical and contemporary and Bourne’s reimagining is one not to miss.”
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“Bourne’s choreographic inventiveness is well showcased, and at times delightful...But there’s something unsettling about the way the production uses mental health and abuse issues...it skirts close to exploitation, as Bourne nods to distressing topics while lobbing in visual gags and piling towards his blood-soaked ending. Depictions of grief and trauma come across as mere choreographic tricks, with no depth.”
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“ ‘Matthew Bourne’s Romeo and Juliet’ pits young people against a harsh adult world. This updated dance version shows giddy first love, blooming like a dandelion forcing itself through concrete...It’s a production that emphasises youthful energy, then sets it bouncing off prison walls.”
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