ROMEO AND JULIET

John Cranko's ballet Romeo and Juliet has been performed at the National Theatre in Munich since 1968. It is characterised by a plot that tells the story by means of a extremely rich choreographic style. The dance movements not only reveal emotional impulses; the social environment of the two protagonists also leaves its mark on the choreographic sequences. On the one hand, John Cranko's dance vocabulary utilises the means of classical ballet. On the other hand, it combines the acrobatic virtuosity of Soviet ballet with the subtlety of the English school.

Act I
Scene 1 – The Market Place.
As day breaks, Romeo, son of Montague, is found declaring his love to the fair Rosaline. With the sunrise the market place fills with townspeople among whom are members of the two rival families, the Capulets and the Montagues. Tempers flare and a quarrel develops. The Duke of Verona appears and warns the two fractions that death will the ultimate punishment if the feud does not stop. Romeo and his friends, Benvolio and Mercutio, make reluctant peace with Tybalt, a kinsman of the Capulets.

Scene 2 – Juliet’s anteroom in the Capulets’ house.
Juliet receives her first ball dress from her mother, Lady Capulet, and learns that she is to meet the noble Paris to whom she will be betrothed on the following day. Now she must bid farewell to her childhood.

Scene 3 – Outside the Capulets’ house.
Guests appear for the Capulets’ ball, among them Rosaline. Romeo and his friends, masked, follow her to the hall.

Scene 4 – The ballroom.
Juliet dances with Paris but suddenly she and Romeo behold each other, and it is love at first sight. Tybalt, suspecting Romeo’s identity, tries to start an argument, but is prevented by Juliet’s father who abides by the laws of hospitality.

Scene 5 – Juliet’s balcony.
On the balcony outside her bedroom Juliet dreams of Romeo. He appears below in the garden. They declare their eternal love.

Act II
Scene 1 – The Market Place.
A carnival is in progress in the main square. Romeo, indifferent to the gaiety around him, is discovered by Juliet’s nurse, who brings him a letter from her. She asks Romeo to meet Juliet in the chapel of Friar Laurence.

Scene 2 – The Chapel.
In his cloister, Friar Laurence joins the young lovers in marriage.

Scene 3 – The Market Place.
At the height of the carnival, Romeo returns to the square. Tybalt accosts him but Romeo declines to fight. Mercutio, angered, engages in a duel with Tybalt, and dies at his hands. Romeo, distraught, turns on Tybalt and kills him.

Act III
Scene 1 – The Bedroom.
In Juliet’s bedroom the lovers are awakened by the sunrise, and Romeo, under sentence of exile, must leave Juliet and Verona. Lord and Lady Capulet enter with Paris, but Juliet rejects him.

Scene 2 – The Chapel.
Juliet, appealing for help to Friar Laurence, receives a potion from him that will place her in a death – like sleep. He explains that Romeo will find her in the family tomb and from there they can escape together.

Scene 3 – The Bedroom.
Juliet agrees to her marriage with Paris. After he leaves with her parents, she takes the sleeping draught and is thought to be dead when her family and friends discover her.

Scene 4 – The Capulet family crypt.
Romeo, who has never received Friar Laurence’s message revealing the plan, believes Juliet to be dead and rushes to her tomb. There he finds the mourning Paris and kills him. Embracing Juliet for the last time, he plunges his dagger into his heart. Juliet awakens to find Romeo Dead. Grief-stricken, she kills herself.