DANCE REVIEW : JOFFREY’S ‘ROMEO AND JULIET’

Since the Joffrey Ballet last danced John Cranko’s “Romeo and Juliet” here, local audiences have seen two seasons of the Kenneth MacMillan/American Ballet Theatre version, also set to the score by Prokofiev. That’s two seasons of bizarre, overbearing scenic conceits (the Greek Orthodox marriage, the Druid burial), two seasons of obnoxious marketplace whores who seemed to have more to dance than Juliet, two seasons of bloated dramaturgy and off-the-rack classicism.

Thus when the Joffrey brought back Cranko’s ballet on Wednesday--with familiar protagonists--on the opening night of its spring season at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, at least one star cross’d balletomane heaved a sigh of relief.

How much swifter and more intimate the Cranko “Romeo and Juliet” looked, how much more dramatically (if not always musically) astute, how much more inventive in its use of character-dance elements and surprising angularities grafted onto the classical vocabulary.

As before, the company appeared lightweight and underage in the crucial character roles--with Lady Montague (Elizabeth Parkinson), for instance, looking much younger than her son and only Charlene Gehm (Lady Capulet) miming with much conviction.

But in dancing challenges, the Joffrey provided so much freshness, energy and technical flair that the largely diversionary marketplace scenes became full-out ensemble showpieces--exciting and spontaneous in a way that someone who knows only the Ballet Theatre “Romeo and Juliet” could scarcely imagine.

The Joffrey has just spent a reported $900,000 to acquire its own physical production of the ballet (the previous one was rented)--and Juergen Rose’s costumes, in particular, created spectacular effects in the scarlet and gold arrival of the guests and the black, brown and copper ballroom sequence that immediately followed.

Although Rose’s scenery kept switching between painterly and architectural stylizations, it all belonged to the same environment and, further, it objectified the emphasis on pliant line and lush embellishment found in the choreography.

The major interest of Ballet Theatre’s “Romeo and Juliet” has been in ballerina interpretation: the unique qualities that a Natalia Makarova, Alessandra Ferri, Leslie Browne, Amanda McKerrow and Susan Jaffe discovered in Juliet.

The Joffrey’s Dawn Caccamo is not yet in this league. She does not claim the role by her acting: certainly plausible and sincere enough--if underpowered near the end--but never individual. She does not claim it by her dancing: tolerably secure but never particularly beautiful, musical or expressive.

Caccamo remains a hardworking, excellently coached and very likable dancer who never dares enough to make a personal statement.

In contrast, Glenn Edgerton may be the best Romeo that Los Angeles has seen in the ‘80s--admittedly not a prepossessing bunch. Yes, Edgerton’s technique in the pre-ballroom trio could have been neater, his partnering in the duets more tender, but otherwise the control and refinement of his dancing remained remarkable.

And who else has matched his sense of youthful nobility, his wide emotional range and utter lack of affectation? What other Romeo has conveyed as much sheer feeling in his dancing or seemed so absolutely right when just standing and daydreaming?

Among the subsidiary assignments, David Palmer gave Mercutio an extra edge to his swagger--plus the terrific and effortless technique he seems to bring to every role. Mark Goldweber complemented him nicely as Benvolio. Cameron Badsen had vivacity and not much else as the Nurse.

Conducted by Alan Lewis with an emphasis on lyricism, the ad hoc orchestra sounded awfully patchy--particularly in passages with exposed strings and brass.