West Side Story | Chateau Neuf, Oslo, 2021
Leonard Bernstein’s masterpiece of American musical theatre reimagined for Norwegian audiences at Oslo’s Chateau Neuf. With music by Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and book by Arthur Laurents (based on a concept by Jerome Robbins), West Side Story transposes Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet to 1950s New York City, where rival street gangs—the Jets and the Sharks—clash against a backdrop of ethnic tension, territorial conflict, and doomed young love.
This 2021 production, directed by Mattias Carlsson with choreography by Belinda Braza, brought takis’ set design vision to one of musical theatre’s most iconic and demanding works. The production features the show’s beloved score including “Maria,” “Tonight,” “America,” “Somewhere,” and “I Feel Pretty,” along with Robbins’ groundbreaking choreography that revolutionized how dance could drive theatrical narrative.
Set Design Vision
takis’ set design creates the urban landscape of New York’s West Side, where chain-link fences, fire escapes, and concrete create the gritty battleground for the story’s conflicts. The design must accommodate the show’s extensive dance requirements—from the explosive “Prologue” and “Dance at the Gym” to the intimate “Somewhere” ballet—while facilitating rapid transitions between locations: street corners, Maria’s bedroom, Doc’s drugstore, the bridal shop, and the fatal alley where tragedy unfolds.
The production worked with costume designer Cårejånni Enderud, whose costumes visually distinguished the Jets and Sharks through color palette and cultural specificity while allowing the extreme physicality demanded by the choreography. Lighting designer Anders Busch’s work complements the set design, creating the stark contrasts between day and night, safety and danger, that drive the show’s dramatic arc.
The overall design approach respects the show’s mid-century period while allowing the timeless themes of prejudice, violence, and star-crossed love to resonate with contemporary audiences.
Creative Team
- Set Designer: takis
- Costume Designer: Cårejånni Enderud
- Director: Mattias Carlsson
- Choreographer: Belinda Braza (based on original choreography by Jerome Robbins)
- Lighting Designer: Anders Busch
- Music: Leonard Bernstein
- Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim
- Book: Arthur Laurents
Production Context
West Side Story premiered on Broadway in 1957, revolutionizing musical theatre by seamlessly integrating sophisticated music, dance, and dramatic storytelling into a contemporary social drama. The show tackled prejudice and urban violence with unprecedented seriousness while delivering one of the greatest scores in musical theatre history. Jerome Robbins’ choreography—where dance sequences advance plot and character rather than merely entertaining—established a new standard for theatrical storytelling.
The show has remained in continuous production worldwide since its premiere, with major revivals in 1980, 2009, and 2020 on Broadway, a 1961 Academy Award-winning film, and Steven Spielberg’s 2021 film adaptation. Each generation discovers new resonance in the story’s examination of how prejudice, fear of the other, and cycles of violence destroy young lives.
This Oslo production at Chateau Neuf represents takis’ work on one of musical theatre’s most iconic titles, creating a physical environment that serves both the show’s gritty realism and its soaring moments of romantic and tragic poetry. The production demonstrates how great works transcend their original cultural context to speak to universal human experiences.