***** (5 stars)
“Breathtaking! Brilliant! Ballet at its best”
Exactly what I’ve come to expect from Scottish Ballet.
These violent delights have violent ends, and in their triumph die, like fire and powder, which as they kiss consume says the Friar in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Intense passion can destroy the people who feel it – and none more so than Juliet and Romeo, those star-crossed lovers. Their families – the Montagues and the Capulets – have long been enemies, but when the two young people meet, they fall instantly in love. It does not end well…
This Scottish Ballet film is the latest in a long line of productions – just go to the SB website and search Scottish Ballet films – you’ll be amazed at what’s there! I was aware of quite a few, but I can see hours of happy viewing ahead of me: do I start with How Much Squid Is Too Much Squid? Or Breathless, Shadowash, Haud Close Tae Me, Maze, Starstruck? Or dive into The Making of Mary, Queen of Scots, look at The Snow Queen – From the Wings or get to know The women of the Crucible???
These violent delights is by far Scottish Ballet’s most ambitious cinema piece yet – and to see it in Glasgow’s IMAX theatre is fully to experience its raw power, pulsating energy, and turbulent emotions. It probably helps to have a knowledge of the basic Shakespeare plot, but even without that it’s a gripping piece that swirls from reality to desire to dreamworld and back again in the blink of an eye.
Juliet’s family are obviously Old Money: a grand house, very formal behaviour, and seeing children as property, as assets, expected to be obedient, to conform to correct behaviour, rather than as individuals with feelings and needs of their own. She is informed she is to be betrothed to a young man who equally sees her as a means to an advantageous business alliance. Romeo comes from an equally formal background, but he dreams of freedom, ignoring his friends’ attempts to engage him in horseplay. They both escape from their constricting surroundings and venture into the wild and unrestricted atmosphere of the Apothecary night club. Amid the frenzied partying their eyes meet…
John Lemke’s score is a brilliant backdrop to the action, underscoring the every-changing, kaleidoscopic swirl of emotions. The costumes, scenery, lighting and at times startling camera work all contribute their layers to our understanding of the story, told so superbly through choreography from Julia Cheng, Morgann Runacre-Temple, Myles Thatcher, Sophie Laplane, Nicholas Shoesmith and Adrea Azzari. Above and through it all the dancers mesmerise and enthrall us, drawing us into their world, engaging our sympathies, shocking and startling us, making us participants rather than just observers of the unfolding tragedy.
It’s always a joy to watch this company and see how their dancers grow in stature and own the stage. I’ve already raved about Rishan Benjamin in Entress: now I rave even more at her stunningly versatile performance at the Apothecary club alongside Hermit Harvey Littlefield [who was such a jaw-droppingly powerful Young Elizabeth in Mary Queen of Scots]. Kayla-Maree Tarantolo, the Protagonist in Entress, was a tiny and fragile Juliet trying to make her own life in opposition to just about everyone around her, while former Scottish Ballet artist Ishan Mahabir-Stokes is perfect as the romantic hero for whom just about anyone would fall, given half a chance. The rest of the cast are equally stunning and it is, as ever, a joy to see familiar faces given their chance to shine and a pleasure to spot unfamiliar faces and look forward to getting to know them better too.
I was sad not to be able to stay behind for the Q&A session following the showing of the film – it would have been great to hear from Kayla-Maree and other company members about their experience of dancing for the camera rather than in a continuous stage production, about their reactions to the extraordinary demands the choreography makes on them, and how they feel about seeing themselves larger-than-life-size on the IMAX screen!
Don’t miss it!
These violent delights – Juliet’s dance on the edge of eternity, Scottish Ballet, IMAX Glasgow, The film goes on general release in UK and Irish Cinemas from October 21st 2026
ScotsGay Arts 