Apparently tired by constant criticism in the West that its dramaturgy was tired and visual sensibility old hat, the Bolshoi Ballet decided to join the 21st century in one fell swoop with a provocative version of one of the world's most famous stories.

After its world premiere in Moscow earlier this year and a stormy reception later in London, "Romeo and Juliet," was given its West Coast premiere last night at the Paramount Theater. It is not hard to see why there has been a fuss: The production is a world of distortions, both in its choreography and staging. It is coarse, hard-edged, driven. It is also, at times, compelling. The story has been compressed, with important characters left out, and the action tightened.

Instead of asking a choreographer to set the narrative, once again, to Prokofiev's telling score, the Bolshoi first spoke with English stage director Declan Donnellan, noted for his avant-garde approach, then Moldavian choreographer Radu Poklitaru. This extraordinary collaboration -- a stage director, who has no pretense of knowledge in dance, combined with a ballet choreographer -- suggests much of what was to come. Donnellan has the concept and Poklitaru is asked to fill in the steps. There is a lot of movement in the work but little that would be found in a more conventional ballet. The women, for instance, wear ballet slippers, not point shoes. That alone changes their language. In the main, the historic strengths of Bolshoi dancers are wasted, although their energy and focus are admirable.

Donnellan wanted to cut the poetic amplitude of Shakespeare's tale to the bone. Lyricism has been replaced by attack, tragedy by brutality, love by hysteria, suggestion by screams. Nuance is on holiday. There is little by way of character development in the libretto: Romeo and Juliet are on top of each other the minute they meet; Lady Capulet's affection for Tybalt is expressed so grossly and quickly her husband pulls her off him.

Romeo has always been dreamy and romantic and handsome. That is how he was conceived in the late 16th century. Now he is dizzy and frenetic, a kind of parody of himself. And there is something a touch vulgar, even cheap, about his beloved. This is not a Juliet to be worshipped. They are a pair, but we don't feel obligated to mourn them at their mutual suicides.

However, there are some interesting innovations. Mercutio remains his usual electric, magnetic, physical self, but now he goes to the Capulet ball in drag; Tybalt flirts with and eventually kisses him, only to discover the cute girl is a cute boy. He is totally humiliated in front of family and friends. A very effective touch. Donnellan emphasizes the ancient feud between the Capulets and Montagues by creating ensembles of two, sometimes acting almost as a Greek chorus. On occasion it works but not always.

It is hard to think what kind of choreographer Poklitaru would be under more ordinary circumstances. One senses he was simply the hired hand, as Donnellan wove his way through the story with the kind of obsessive and arbitrary control that stage directors often have in European lyric theater.

The mise en scene, designed by Nicholas Ormerod, is vaguely modern with contemporary and retro costumes coupled together. The look is often sloppy, in a very au courant way, then resolutely formal: a sometimes curious juxtaposition. The set is simplicity itself -- stark white and black cubes, panels and curtains, suggesting nothing and everything, even Juliet's balcony. Nothing very startling, but a good backdrop to the proceedings. Judith Greenwood's lighting design also is a series of simple contrasts, which are apropos to the conception.

The company looked sleek and moved like lightning. If only the dancers had been given something more consequential to do. Neither Romeo nor Juliet was an easy assignment. Maria Alexandrova danced Juliet with almost violent bravura. Denis Savin, drawn from the corps de ballet, did the best he could as Romeo under difficult circumstances. Denis Medvedev's Tybalt was slimy and superb. Rarely has this character been painted with such dark colors. The Mercutio of Yury Klevtsov was all lightness of being.

A rarity, members of the Bolshoi Orchestra are on tour. And what a difference that made, even with some electronic help, last night. It is hard to beat the Russians at their own game. With fervor and balance, Pavel Klinichev conducted the great Prokofiev score, including some curiosities.

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