Choreographer Martin Lawrance embraces Pinoy music and culture in his reimagining of ‘Romeo & Juliet’
Martin Lawrance’s Romeo & Juliet began as a suite starring Jessica Pearl Dames and Joshua Enciso in the lead roles, featured in the show Tuloy ang Sayaw-an (2019). Photo by Erickson Dela Cruz
By Jv Ramos
On February 18, Martin Lawrance’s Romeo & Juliet will premiere at the Aliw Theater, starring new Ballet Manila principal dancers Joshua Enciso and Jessica Pearl Dames. Originally developed as a suite in 2019 for the same pair, this is the second full-length work that the British choreographer has developed for the company after the Spartacus-People Power mash-up Rebel in 2016.
“My first exposure to Romeo & Juliet was in school like many in England, but through the years I’ve seen many different versions of it,” shares the guest choreographer. Among the adaptations he had seen were ballets using music by Sergei Prokofiev, live theater productions by the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Baz Luhrmann film that turned the classic piece into an edgy romantic/ crime film. “What I find exciting is that Romeo & Juliet can be placed in any setting, in whatever era.”
British choreographer Martin Lawrance demonstrates the steps for the Romeo & Juliet cast, including Jessica Pearl Dames (Juliet), Gerardo Francisco Jr. (Paris) and Joshua Enciso (Romeo). Photo by Giselle P. Kasilag
Embracing the tale’s flexibility, Martin decided to set the beloved Shakespearean tale in modern-day Metro Manila, wherein the star-crossed lovers come from different social classes. “When the idea of doing a full-length Romeo & Juliet was brought up, I didn’t think that it would be a Pinoy one, but I think Lisa (Macuja-Elizalde) did and that’s how it was born: an up-to-date Filipino Romeo & Juliet,” he reveals.
Always one to start with music when he choreographs, he found himself being drawn to popular Filipino tunes such as Sana’y Wala Nang Wakas, Ikaw, and Bukas Na Lang Kita Mamahalin. Seeing that these songs could be related to the story of the young couple, it just made sense for him to use these love melodies and infuse more local elements and experiences, such as karaoke hangouts and fiestas, into his retelling.
“I’ve gotten to know about Filipino life so it’s been fun to work on my version,” expresses Martin, who initially visited the Philippines in 2014. That was when he first connected with Lisa and Ballet Manila, creating the piece Misfit or Maverick for the company. Two years later, while working on Rebel, Lisa introduced him to fashion designer Jeffrey Rogador who would create the urban wear for that production. There was an instant spark between them, and as their relationship deepened, Martin immersed himself more and more in Philippine culture. Now, if you were to come across him, you’d hear him speak Filipino sentences, see that he is wearing the locally popular flip-flops, and find out that he’s game to play bingo and do karaoke anywhere.
And how did Ballet Manila’s current crop of dancers react to his Filipino take on Romeo & Juliet? The British national admits that there have been a few bumps in the process. “When I first tried to tell them the subplots, it would seem like they didn’t want to hear it,” shares Martin, laughing at the memory. “Twenty-seven dancers looking at you wanting to know the steps. As a choreographer, I have to share the balance between story and dancing. And now, they understand and relish the in-betweens.”
“What I find exciting is that Romeo & Juliet can be placed in any setting, in whatever era,” says Martin, seen here at the Ballet Manila Archives, of tweaking the Shakespearean tale. Photo by Giselle P. Kasilag
Then, there’s also the challenge of getting used to this new Romeo & Juliet. “Some of the dancers have done the ballet so many times before that it’s in their muscle memory. But this full-length version is different.”
Martin explains that while he took into account the strengths of the Ballet Manila dancers, he made it a point to avoid typecasting as he was assigning roles. Principal dancer Gerardo Francisco Jr., who’s often given cheeky characters in story ballets, will be Juliet’s suitor Paris. Principal dancers and real-life married couple Mark Sumaylo and Abigail Oliveiro will play the parents of Juliet whose relationship in this Filipinized version is rocky. The hot-headed Tybalt will be played by principal Romeo Peralta, who’s known to really think things through before acting, while Mercutio, Romeo’s best friend who’s obsessed with the feud between the two families (the Kapuletos and the Montanas), will be portrayed by easy-going soloist Anselmo Dictado.
“I’ve also decided to make the mayor a woman. You’ll be seeing Pia Dames, the twin sister of Pearl, as the politician who throws a fiesta and that’s where Romeo and Juliet meet,” says Martin with much excitement. “And there are no parents for Romeo. In the original, they don’t really do much so I decided to leave them out. It just made sense since in my version, Romeo is from the other side of the tracks so what he has got for a family is a barkada!”
Since Martin’s Romeo & Juliet is set in present-day Philippines, it also channels the milieu of the young generation, with the characters using mobile phones and exchanging text messages. Instead of renaissance-style costumes, they will be clad in contemporary wear. The production will also make use of non-traditional elements such as images and graphics being flashed on Aliw Theater’s LED screen. As Lisa Macuja-Elizalde – who performed as Juliet multiple times in her dancing career – promises: “This ain’t your grandma’s Romeo and Juliet!”
Martin in the thick of rehearsals for Romeo & Juliet at Ballet Manila’s Studio 1 with principal dancers, from left, Mark Sumaylo, Gerardo Francisco Jr., Jessica Pearl Dames, Jasmine Pia Dames, Romeo Peralta and Abigail Oliveiro. Photo by Giselle P. Kasilag
Due to the tweaks he is making, one may think that Martin’s version may veer too far away from the classical ballet based on Shakespeare’s famous work, but he guarantees that the excellent classical ballet technique that Ballet Manila is known for is still very much there.
Not to mention, some of Prokofiev’s famous melodies swell in his version – although there’s a twist here and there. The iconic Dance of the Knights, for instance, will be heard, but it will be an electric guitar version. “I’d like to think that I’ve also been clever with the music; my version is rich in Filipino music and music associated with Romeo & Juliet!”
Asked if he’s satisfied with his work, the choreographer admits that his reimagining is not done yet but he is still exploring. “As a choreographer, I’m okay with letting go of something, especially when it’s not working.”
One thing that Martin will never change is the Balcony Scene which is choreographed to Sana’y Wala Nang Wakas. “The song has been there since Day 1, because it’s a very special song for me. It’s a song that Jeffrey sang to me at a karaoke in Bulacan in 2017, and now it reminds me of the wonderful time we had!”
Sadly, Jeffrey passed away in 2020. Working on Romeo & Juliet now is a full-circle moment for Martin who recalls that he and Jeffrey had actually collaborated on the suite that inspired it. In a way, Martin’s second full-length piece with Ballet Manila is a celebration of a great love that abruptly ended due to unfortunate circumstances, and is a reminder that every given moment should be cherished.
Teary-eyed yet still composed, he concludes, “There are many emotions that you feel when you encounter Romeo & Juliet. One may say that it’s a beautiful tale. Others may feel sad and angry about it, and some may even say that it’s a stupid story. I hope that I’m able to capture all these emotions.”
Martin Lawrance is trying out new things in Romeo & Juliet but of prime importance to him is that it has to be coherent. Video by Susan A. De Guzman
