Romeo and Juliet

Published Wednesday 17 October 2007 at 10:55 by Lyndsey Winship

When an injured Johan Kobborg pulled out of the opening night of the Royal Ballet’s new run of Romeo and Juliet, the young soloist Steven McRae was called upon to fill his shoes.

McRae has been generating a real buzz in ballet circles, but being a fresh-faced talent is one thing, pulling off a great romantic lead is another. Yet McRae’s relative inexperience turned out to be an asset because he brought something essential to this well-worn story - youth. Here was an absolutely believable casting, rather than the suspension of disbelief so often called for when more mature dancers take the role. McRae and the tiny Alina Cojocaru really could be two lovestruck teenagers - naive, childlike even, bowled over by sudden all-consuming feelings. Even across a crowded ballroom they can’t stop grinning at each other, desperately seeking out each other’s eyes.

At the outset McRae’s dancing is competent rather than dazzling, but as the evening progresses you can see his confidence growing, his turns swifter and smoother, his movement flowing more freely. Of course when he appears next to principal Alina Cojocaru it’s clear who has the experience, but then most dancers would pale in comparison with her.

While some dancers wear their strength on the outside, like steel armour, Cojocaru holds hers deep in her core, leaving her body to express itself with the softest touch. Not only is she instinctively in control of her instrument but she’s a great actress and absorbs her character completely.

There are decent performances in the supporting cast but really this is a story about two people, in this case one stunning ballerina at the top of her game and one young dancer taking a major step into the limelight.