A Shakespearean jukebox musical with among the largest pop hits from the 90s to the current day – actually, I hear you cry. On paper it shouldn’t work, however in & Juliet, it positive does.
On the urging of his spouse Anne Hathaway (Lara Denning), William Shakespeare (Matt Cardle) is tasked with re-writing his nice tragedy Romeo and Juliet with a happier, extra crowd-pleasing ending. She asks – what if the star-crossed lovers didn’t meet such a tragic finish – nicely Juliet anyway, and implores him to supply her with a fairer remedy – let her make her personal life selections.
Anne has to combat with Will to supply Juliet with an actual voice, but it surely’s her that gives our younger heroine with a lifetime of her personal selecting. Juliet (Psalms-Nissi Myers-Reid) finds out that her beau is definitely a serial cheater and all-round ass. So being the robust, younger girl she is, she promptly runs off to Paris and finds herself falling straight into the arms of one other younger man and a relationship that’s extra one in every of comfort than love. Can this lady ever get a break?
Thankfully, whereas the e-book by David West Read of Schitt’s Creek fame, pays correct homage to its supply materials, the much less palatable features of the unique have been sanitised for a twenty first Century viewers: our feminine lead is not a 13 yr outdated lady however a younger girl in her 20s and it addresses the fairly frankly preposterous concept that any younger couple would go to such extremes for each other after solely realizing each other for 4 days. There are quotes aplenty and element from Will and Anne’s actual lives interwoven by way of the script.
There is a splendidly female-centred storyline with constructive queer illustration all through and a various forged that’s reflective of Britain within the twenty first Century. The smartest thing is the enjoyment they radiate and love of their craft the complete ensemble conveys to the viewers.
The music by Swedish hit machine Max Martin is a spotlight, juxtaposed as it’s right into a story set within the Renaissance. Who knew that Katy Perry’s Roar, Britney’s …Baby One More Time and Backstreet Boys I Want It That Way would seamlessly match? Surprisingly, and cleverly, the lyrics to those pop bangers and energy ballads match completely into the storyline. Whatever your musical tastes, the tunes are undeniably toe-tapping. There are over thirty songs included within the two and a half hour operating time.
Soutra Gilmour’s vibrant set is vibrantly lit, pleasing to the attention and punctuated with confetti cannons and far glitter. There’s a gloriously slick pop live performance really feel about the entire manufacturing.
The largest asset of the present is its forged. Myers-Reid is a knock-out Juliet, she’s vibrant, heat and feisty with a wonderful set of pipes. She is splendidly supported by the ever-watchable Sandra Marvin as Nurse Angelique, Matt Cardle is in nice voice as Will, and TV medic Dr. Ranj Singh is surprisingly good as Lance. Jordan Broatch superbly performs May with a appeal and positive contact that has the group rooting for them from the off. In as forged as wonderful as this there’s a complete standout – Lara Denning’s Anne is as wonderful a musical theatre efficiency as you’ll ever discover. Her emotional vary is on full present from feisty and livid to tender and touching, her comedian timing is as impeccable as her roof-raising voice.
This is excessive octane leisure, it’s riotous, celebratory and joyful and an instance of easy methods to actually do a jukebox musical. It is aware of its viewers and romps alongside at a velocity that may depart you breathless.
& Juliet proves because it says within the publicity that there’s life after Romeo, however there’s additionally an enormous marketplace for the unlikeliest of combos – who would have dreamt that Shakespeare and Britney may co-exist so superbly. The whole auditorium on its toes on the finish is testomony to the very fact the theatre-going viewers is all the time open to one thing new and refreshing. More like this please.
Runs till 24 August 2024 then continues touring
