Romeo & Juliet

As part of its ‘The British Film’ collection Network is releasing a very special performance of Romeo and Juliet by the Royal Ballet on DVD, which will include the original theatrical trailer and an image gallery.

The production, dated 1966, was directed by Paul Czinner and became a BAFTA and Golden Globe-nominated adaptation.

Playing the roles of Romeo and Juliet, respectively, are Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn, both giving stunning performances.

The brilliant production design, which includes fantastic costumes and props, is brought to life by Serge Prokofiev’s score and Kenneth MacMillan’s choreography.

Since cinema’s inception there has been a lot of writing on its relationship to the theatre, especially for the special bond the stage had, and still has, with the audience.Thanks to the Czinner’s method and technique we are now able to see this production as if it were a film, displaying an interesting crossover between the two media.

The camerawork is absolutely spot on and perfectly suits the fluency and rhythm of the dancers. The chemistry between the whole cast is evident and it makes the collective performances even more magical.

Romeo and Juliet is the love story that will never end and it is even more incredible to feel and share the characters’ passion even without a single recited word.

When the final curtain closes the audience’s applause start giving us that great feeling of sharing an experience. A feeling that the theatre and the cinema most definitely have in common.