Romeo and Juliet – Matthew Bourne
As Sir Matthew Bourne‘s Romeo and Juliet arrives in Cardiff with a coterie of young dancers gracing the stage of the Wales Millennium Centre, Rhonda Lee Reali looks ahead to what we can expect.
Hold onto your rapiers for those star-crossed lovers and their feuding families are back! Sir Matthew Bourne’s Romeo and Juliet is having its Cardiff premiere, and the famed choreographer’s version of Shakespeare’s standard text and Profokiev’s score will be unlike any other. Bourne’s passion for nurturing future talent will see the production feature the foremost emerging male and female dancers from across the UK. The search began in 2018 with a shout-out for teens currently in training aged between 16 and 19. Over 1,000 applied and following a countrywide audition tour, six young cast members have been chose to perform at each venue with the New Adventures company.
At the Wales Millennium Centre the chosen ones will be Rachel Brookes-Brent, Llewelyn Brown, Berwyn Cooper, Seirian Griffiths, Atlanta Hatch and Francesca Rees. Four of the six are from Wales (Brookes-Brent hails from Cardiff) and they’re elated to be in the corps de ballet representing Bourne’s vision.
For Berwyn Cooper, “[This Romeo and Juliet] is a completely new direction with a familiar story that everyone has an understanding of. In a way, it’s politically charged but in a less obvious sense. It brings forth new ideas while maintaining that same story. It’s quite dark.”
Francesca Rees observes that, whilst the building blocks of the production are all ones we’re familiar with, “there are little twists, especially with characters – who they are – and how you think someone could be a good character…Matthew Bourne changes the way the audience see new perspectives.” Llewelyn Brown, unsure of how much to divulge as dance details are always kept to a minimum, is impressed with “the very physical nature of the movement.” Brown and Cooper previously performed at WMC in Bourne’s Lord of the Flies and are thrilled to be returning to perform here again. For Brown, “it’s because of that experience that I am pursuing a career in dance.”
Dancer Profiles
Llewelyn Brown
Age: 19
Born: Bridgend
Age first started dance: 3
Former school(s): Moya Vahey’s School of Russian Classical Ballet; National Dance Company Wales (Associates programme, started age 14)
Current school: Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance
Dream role: I don’t have a role in mind, but I’ve always wanted to perform and be part of the art’s world.
Favourite dance style: Contemporary
Favourite dancer: Carlos Acosta
Favourite choreographer (other than Bourne): Akram Khan
Why do you like New Adventures? It’s the storytelling. The whole production – the set, the costumes – grabs the audience, even for people who aren’t familiar with dance. It’s so easy for [them] to be hooked on the plot and the emotions the dancers are conveying.
Family members in dance: Sister Morwenna, 17, in musical theatre
Berwyn Cooper
Age: 17
Born: Brecon
Age first started dance: 12
Former school: Mid-Wales Dance Academy
Current school: Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance
Dream role: I’ve always loved Matthew Bourne’s work – all the roles and all the different characters. I’m always open to try any role.
Favourite dance style: Ballet and contemporary equally
Favourite dancer: Carlos Acosta and Rudolf Nureyev
Favourite choreographer (other than Bourne): Hofesh Shechter
Why do you like New Adventures? It’s got a nice technicality and detail within the movement. Also, the almost cinematic feel of the shows. How their stories are told in a different way, done with a lot of detail, beautiful in a more obscure way. They’re quite accessible as well.
Family members in dance: Sister Bethan, 23, trained at Laban, now w/Impelo and teaches pilates
Francesca Rees
Age: 18
Born: Bridgend
Age first started dance: 4
Former school(s): Sian Dixon School of Dance; Sarah Burnell School of Dance (started age 12)
Current school: Ballet West Scotland
Dream role: I just aspire to be in a contemporary company.
Favourite dance style: Contemporary
Favourite dancer: Can’t think of one at the moment
Favourite choreographer (other than Bourne): To be honest, it’s always been him.
Why do you like New Adventures? How [Bourne] takes traditional ballets and puts a contemporary twist on it. They’re like a family community. From being with them for a short space of time, I feel like I’m part of the company.
Family members in dance: Sister Anabelle, 22, graduated from Ballet West Scotland
