Abby Avery and Carlo Di Dio were handsome doomed lovers in San Diego Ballet's "Romeo and Juliet" this weekend. Choreographed by Javier Velasco, the annual program was designed to grab a piece of the Valentine market, just like chocolate, flowers and romantic greeting cards. Too bad the Lyceum Theater is so dingy.

The dark basement venue is hardly romantic, and its proximity to cocktails in the Gaslamp area can be problematic. A couple of men seated near me were so loud that somebody summoned an usher to "shush" them. We worried that they might tumble down the stairs and fall onto the stage just a few feet away. But they didn't, and their antics strangely foreshadowed the ballet's storyline.

Romeo and Juliet.

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Without an orchestra pit as a buffer, the audience was drawn into the middle of the tragedy, quarrels and dagger fights. The production didn't include an angry Lord Capulet, so the scene with him striking his defiant daughter was sadly missing. Still, Avery was a bright and genuine Juliet, with flashes of dance brilliance. Di Dio was emotional and attentive but often too stiff in partnering. Velasco's choreography, which is known to be theatrical, didn't go overboard with passion. Instead of clichéd sighs and grappling, we saw honest and emotionally restrained gestures and extensions.

However, there was no restraint in the tomb scene when Romeo discovered the lifeless body of his dear Juliet. He wrongly assumed she was dead and swung her limp body until her limbs flopped. It was a chilling sight, and Avery is to be commended for letting her body go.

Equally memorable was Rachel Sebastian as Lady Capulet who cut through the space with knife-like stares. She was the center of the drama and moved very much like a young Martha Graham. Her heavy costume became an extension of her body, a sharp contrast to Juliet's youth and lightness.

Jonathan Sharp as Tybalt was also a strong presence. He wasn't given exceptional choreography but captivated even standing still. His excellent ballet training and acting experience - that includes television and Broadway - immediately set him apart.

Strong performances and costumes (Marcia Averett and Sandra Mangusing) saved this striped-down production. There were no sets, except for a giant triangle on the back wall that changed colors. The music was a poor recorded mix of Prokofiev. It became especially tinny and distorted when Juliet donned a wedding veil. The Lyceum's sound system is on par with an old car radio.

You can't help wishing for a live orchestra and sophistication. Velasco isn't the first to delete sequences, but this production became so abstract that one lost touch with the deeper story of warring families and forbidden love. He cut the tale to one act so the dramatic arc of the tragedy was somewhat lost. The talented dancers carried the show, and one wishes they could have a richer framework and venue.

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