Romeo & Juliet (HOME – Victoria Swimming Baths)

Now, I am a big fan of Shakespeare, but all too often, when I attend productions I find myself slyly checking my watch to work out how much time we have left. However, this re-imaging, directed by Walter Meierjohann is spectacular. It had me gripped right through to the end and so much so that I didn't check my watch once.

Staged as a site specific production in Manchester's Victoria Baths and set in a gritty Eastern European underworld, there really could not be a more perfect backdrop for Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet. The green and white tiles of the old swimming baths, the mosaic flooring and derelict changing cubicles of the old baths frame the action perfectly and I felt privileged as an audience member to move around the historic building to follow the action.

Walter Meierjohann and his creative team breathe new life into the tragedy of the star-crossed lovers. I know it's a cliche but they really do. Every single actor in this production seems to feel Shakespeare's language fully, not a word is lost and every sound is savoured; yet the story is accessible and easy to interpret for those audience members who are not fully conversant in Shakespeare speak.

Alex Felton plays a charismatic Romeo, a dreamer, full of angst; when we first see Sara Vickers as Juliet, she is pulling a teenage strop. The scenes between the two lovers are mesmerising with the balcony scene fully utilising the amazing performance space; the use of trapeze is enchanting and suggests the joy and wonder of young love. But most importantly, there is a real sense of destiny, that the two teenagers are jinxed from the very beginning, something that is lost in so many interpretations.

The eerie space is fully used by choreographer, Kenrick 'H20' Sandy, for dance sequences and impressive fight scenes. Mike Gunning's lighting design and the Balkan folk music score by composer Nikola Kodjabashia complements the staging perfectly and adds to the haunting atmosphere. Silhouettes on the stark exposed brick walls make for further uneasiness as the tragedy unfolds.

As I perched on the edge of my cushion, looking down, my feet dangling over the edge of the empty pool I realised that I was watching a breathtakingly beautiful piece of theatre. And I would like to think that Shakespeare would have given this production his seal of approval too.

Romeo & Juliet is at Victoria Baths until 4 October.