HEARTBREAK sweeps the stage in Bradford this week as Northern Ballet perform a new Romeo And Juliet.

The show is being staged at the Alhambra Theatre until Saturday.

The Leeds-based dance company is performing Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Les Ballets de Monte Carlo’s production of Romeo And Juliet.

Northern Ballet said this was a treasured classic reimagined, providing a timeless ballet for a modern audience.

Set to Prokofiev’s score, played live by Northern Ballet Sinfonia, Maillot’s Romeo And Juliet is said to capture raw sensuality and the very essence of the story as the two teenagers embark on their impulsive love affair.

A spokesman said: “As the lovers are caught in the throes of ecstatic joy and crushing heartbreak, this production will see Northern Ballet’s dancers at their dramatic best, bringing the intensity and extreme emotions of this classic tale to the stage.”

Romeo And Juliet is Northern Ballet’s first collaboration with acclaimed choreographer Maillot, who recently created a new version of The Taming of the Shrew for the Bolshoï Ballet.

The UK premiere took place at the Edinburgh Festival Theatre in 2015, and was the first time that this version of Romeo And Juliet was performed in the UK.

Jean-Christophe Maillot said: “In this adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, my primary objective is to sincerely portray the powerful emotions to the audience so that they share in the passionate love of the young couple and take a journey with them.”

David Nixon, Northern Ballet’s artistic director, said: “Jean-Christophe Maillot's adaptation of Romeo And Juliet is an inspired contemporary response to the classic play and our talented dancers are ideally suited to interpret his wonderful language.

“This is a new production for our audiences to experience and reflect upon and I am delighted that we were the first British company to present Jean-Christophe Maillot's work.’

Coming up at the Alhambra: Tommy Steele in The Glenn Miller Story (October 25-29), musical Mary Poppins (November 2 to December 10); pantomime Peter Pan (December 17 to January 29).

Visit bradford-theatres or call 01274 432000 to book tickets.