New talent will perform alongside seasoned professional dancers when Matthew Bourne’s version of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet receives its world premiere next year.
Directed and choreographed by Bourne, the re-imagining of the ultimate romantic tragedy will feature established stars alongside the finest emerging male and female talent selected following a nationwide talent search which began in April this year.
Presented by New Adventures, Matthew Bourne’s Romeo and Juliet will open at Curve Leicester on 13 May 2019 as part of a UK tour of 13 venues including a four-week summer season at Sadler’s Wells in August 2019.
The passionate and contemporary re-working of the classic love story has been created by Bourne and the entire New Adventures’ artistic team of associate artistic director Etta Murfitt, with set and costume design by Lez Brotherston, lighting by Paule Constable, sound by Paul Groothuis and new orchestrations of Prokofiev’s score by Terry Davies, played live by the New Adventures Orchestra conducted by Brett Morris.
Announcing details of the production, Bourne said: “New Adventures’ Romeo and Juliet will be a celebration of youthful energy, talent and creativity both on and off-stage and, uniquely, in all aspects of choreography, design and music through the appointment of a series of young associate artists.
“As we enter our fourth decade as a company, I’m finding the development of young talent ever more important and fulfilling. Our current company of Swan Lake features 29 young dancers making their debuts with us, many of those have come through our company initiatives such as ‘Swan School’, ‘A Summer Adventure’ and of course, our production of Lord of the Flies which inspired so many young men to seek careers in dance.
“This time we are focusing on nurturing young male and female dancers, and I have been overwhelmed by the talent that we have had to choose from throughout the UK. I’m particularly happy to be working alongside my young associate choreographer, Arielle Smith, an exceptional young dancemaker of great maturity and vision.
“In turn, after 30 years as a professional choreographer, I look forward to being refreshed and inspired by what this team of young artists will bring to Shakespeare’s classic tale of tragic conflict and young love.”
Bourne’s current Cinderella (international tour) Cordelia Braithwaite will share the role of Juliet with Seren Williams who joined the company in 2016 for Bourne’s award-winning production of The Red Shoes and Bryony Harrison who is making her debut in the current New Adventures’ tour of Bourne’s ground-breaking Swan Lake.
Two more stars of Cinderella, Andrew Monaghan and Paris Fitzpatrick will share the role of Romeo with João Carolino who joined the company in 2017 with Early Adventures.
The title roles will also be performed by dancers making their professional debuts – Harrison Dowzell who auditioned for the Young Cast in Nottingham will play Romeo and Bryony Wood who was discovered during the Young Cast auditions in Southampton will dance as Juliet. Both are in their graduate years at Performers College and Tring Park School for the Performing Arts respectively. (New Adventures is working in partnership with both vocational colleges to support the completion of their training during the tour.)
Continuing New Adventures’ commitment to developing off-stage talent a team of Young Associate Artists has been recruited to work alongside the artistic team to help create the production.
Arielle Smith joins as young associate choreographer; Elin Steele as young associate set and costume designer and Ali Hunter as young associate lighting designer. Further young associates will also be appointed in the sound and music departments.
Angela Thomas
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