West Side Story

West Side Story is orbited by superlatives. It is touted as being the greatest musical in history, as having changed Broadway forever. It can be difficult to look past such grand assertions, however, the cast of this production will quickly eradicate any cynicism you may bring with you.

West Side Story follows William Shakespeare’s great romantic tragedy, Romeo & Juliet. The curtain is drawn and the audience is instantly brought into the colourful world and finger-clicking danger of the streets fought over by rival gangs, the Jets and the Sharks. Noah Mullins, playing Jets leader Riff, and Lyndon Watts, his Sharks rival, Bernardo, have great stage presence. They lead their respective gangs with grace and strength. Watching the cast perform intricate choreography, leap through the air and bounce off each other, is breathtaking. No movement on this stage is unintentional and the theatre always feels in motion. There are slight moments when this enthusiasm comes at a detriment to the next scene, as pacing gets frantic and it is difficult to settle the excitement as an audience member and invest emotionally in the slower songs. But this is a minor gripe – the dancing, singing and comedic timing are overall tremendous.

All the while, a love story blossoms between a former Jets member, Tony, and the newly arrived sister of Bernardo, Maria. Todd Jacobsson and Sophie Salvesani are enchanting as Tony and Maria. Jacobsson plays Tony with classic '50s suaveness and his rendition of Maria is strong. Salvesani does a wonderful job of finding the strength and delicacy in Maria. From I Feel Pretty to I Have A Love, Salvesani ensures her Maria is believable and well-realised.

A special mention must also be made for Chloe Zuel, playing Anita, who steals every scene she is in. 

West Side Story deserves all the praise history places on it. It’s a show that demonstrates all the different aspects of theatre and how to use them effectively. The lighting and the spider-web-like set transform the stage, from a city street, to a bridal shop, to a bedroom. Renate Schmitzer’s costumes delightfully add to the characters – a highlight of the show is seeing the cast in white versions of their costumes during One Hand, One Heart (look out for the white Jets bomber jacket).  

Besides anything else, this musical showcases young people attempting to live their lives to the fullest: they hate harder than any other age, they yell and fight louder, and they love stronger. It is inspiring to see a young cast take on such a big production and absolutely nail it. Many of the ensemble make their professional theatre debut with this production – it did not feel this way. This was a production of the highest calibre and a wonderful night of classic theatre.