West Side Story
02/01/14 – Palace Theatre,
Manchester
Joey
McKneely’s vibrant adaptation of Jerome Robbins’ fresh take on Romeo and Juliet
is a joyful pastime. The two New York
gangs, the Jets and the Sharks take the deep resentment and bitterness to a new
level as they glide, spin and jump around the stage in their designated groups. The enlightening ensemble pieces were the
best parts for me, with the separate unison from the boys and the girls almost
faultless. The stage also comes alive
when it is bursting with dancing couples, once again in competition to be
better than their rivals.
The
highlight by far was America, where
the Puerto Rican ladies showed off their fine dancing ability and
personalities. The thrilling
choreography is successful throughout in telling the classic story without
being literal; graceful fights, elegant rumbles and charming gang challenges
somehow still deliver the raw rage and brutality needed to convey the plot. Simple gestures such as a stomp of the foot
or a sharp snap of the fingers go hand in hand with the spectacular score to
enhance Robbins’ narrative.
One of the much-loved
numbers in West Side Story, Somewhere
was unfortunately disappointing. A brave
new approach resulted in the whole cast coming onstage in clichéd white
costumes to create this perfect world for the main characters. The partner work and lifts for the booming
notes of ‘Somewhere…Someday…Somehow’ were beautiful, but the rest felt naïve and
dated – one is left wondering why this celebrated scene wasn’t left in the
capable hands and voices of Maria and Tony.
A failed
utopia cast aside, the overall production was a show-stopping affair taking the
audience on an emotional journey. The drama
of young love, the family feuds, the highlighted American social problems, the
testosterone fuelled fights, the heartbreak of loss – it is all purely
experienced. Complimented with the
impressive choreography, this is probably the best dance musical I’ve seen in
years.
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