Review by Daz Gale
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Oh my God, it's back again! One of the more surprising success stories in theatre in recent years is &Juliet. On paper it sounded like it was never going to work but in reality it proved to be a winning formula that enjoyed a lengthy run in the West End and is still playing to packed houses on Broadway. Now back in London for the first time since the West End run concluded just under two years ago, would that magic formula still make this touring production a hit, baby one more time? Or would something have been lost since it's been gone?
Premiering in Manchester in 2019, &Juliet quickly moved to the West End where it ran until 2023 with the Broadway production opening in 2022 and still going strong. The show imagines what would have happened in Romeo and Juliet if Juliet didn’t die at the end with William Shakespeare and his wife Anne Hathaway (no, not that one) fighting it out to write her new story, while Juliet and her friends try to discover their own destiny. Now put that story against a show full of songs written by Max Martin (we’re talking Britney Spears, Katy Perry and Backstreet Boys to name but a few) and you’ll understand why this isn’t the most obvious of pairings.
I was quick to judge &Juliet when the initial announcement was made all those years ago (when this website was nothing more than a piece of glitter in my eye). I remember thinking it sounded like a disaster – I couldn’t have been more wrong. Upon its first performance in Manchester, I received a message from a friend saying how incredible this show was and hopped on a train there quicker than you can say “Oops I did it again”. It took me less than one minute from the show beginning for me to fall in love with it and that love continued through its West End run where you would frequently catch me in the audience including its first West End performance, re-opening night post-COVID and its emotional closing night. It’s safe to say this show is a special one for me, so I was incredibly excited to catch it again on its first UK and Ireland tour. Not all shows repeat that success on tour as I discovered when I saw another favourite last year so there was a slight bit of nervousness on my part that this wouldn’t be able to live up to the high standard I hold this show to. Thankfully, I needn’t have worried.
David West Read’s book expertly weaves the coming-of-age story, putting a new spin on Shakespeare’s classic characters, cleverly adding Shakespeare and his wife into the mix as well to create a multi-layered story. The use of Shakespeare quotes and original dialogue from Romeo and Juliet is an inspired touch with the contemporary twist putting a new spin on it, and a very creative use of puns playing on these words. The main purpose of &Juliet, however, is to make its audience smile. With the writing as uplifting as this, it is easily accomplished in one of the most joyous shows I have ever seen. The comedy in the writing itself leads to some riotously funny moments with exaggerated characters and over-the-top situations played for laughs, though this humour doesn’t detract from themes that make &Juliet so endearing and heart-warming.
Its message of love, acceptance, identity and inclusivity felt progressive when the show first premiered in 2019 and feels even more vital now given how regressive certain attitudes have been in very recent times. Crucial to this is the role of May (wonderfully played by Jordan Broatch), a character who is portrayed sensitively as delicately as they discover their own identity. It is their poignant rendition of Britney Spears ‘I’m Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman’ that is a great example as to the skill and beauty of the writing here. In other hands, this could have been played for laughs – instead, the performance feels authentic and moving, resulting in one of the biggest rounds of applause of the evening and deservedly so.
Luke Sheppard’s direction allows the story to explode on stage with big set pieces creating a visual spectacular. I worried how some of these bigger moments could be replicated in a touring production but they are all present in one way or another, cleverly tweaked to reflect the variety of venues the show is playing up and down the country. Changes to the set don’t detract from the show whatsoever, and in some ways even add to the scenes, with a revised staging for ‘One More Try’ perhaps even more impactful than the awe-inspiring way it was performed in the West End. Soutra Gilmour’s exquisite set design remains a thing of beauty, effortlessly transporting us to Verona and Paris, while Jennifer Weber’s detailed and delightful choreography and Paloma Young’s stunning costumes retain the essence that made this show such a hit with audiences in its previous life.
The songs of Max Martin are classics in themselves and the way they are used in &Juliet is inspired. There will always be a degree of songs feeling shoehorned in to jukebox musicals but this is done here with a knowing wink to the audience. The inclusion of certain numbers are played for laughs such as the obvious inclusion of ‘I Kissed A Girl’. However, what &Juliet does exceptionally well is use these numbers in a way that miraculously furthers the story. Moments such as ‘Oops… I Did It Again!’ and ‘Since U Been Gone’ provide not only an initial laugh but work in the context incredibly well, painting the songs in a new light in one of the strongest uses of songs in a jukebox musical I’ve ever seen. In some instances, if you had told me these classics were written for this musical, I would have believed you (though in original song ‘One More Try’, it was). Even some of the biggest songs in the last few decades such as ‘I Want It That Way’ and ‘…Baby One More Time’ are given a new context, with the smattering of Britney songs bringing surprising elements from lyrics you may have overlooked initially.
This production of &Juliet boasts some star casting for the tour with Steps’ member Lee Latchford-Evans sharing the role of Lance. At this performance, the role was played by TV Doctor Ranj Singh who unfortunately seemed to be in a completely different show to everyone else. Though the role is exaggerated, he descended too far into pantomime territory, never managing to portray the role convincingly enough. Though he can undoubtedly sing, he had a habit of over-singing, failing to land any emotion in pivotal number ‘Shape Of My Heart’. Though he was clearly having fun on the stage, the acting didn’t quite cut it especially when compared to his sensational co-stars. It is a testament to the strength of this show that even a performance as chaotic as that didn’t derail the show.
The Wanted’ star Jay McGuiness proved much stronger as Shakespeare bringing a cheeky element to the role and a zest for the character that proved fantastic to watch – markedly different from the West End version of the role but still a complete joy to watch. Jordan Broatch gave a heartfelt portrayal as May, always captivating with their presence on stage while Kyle Cox is a brilliant Francois – charming while struggling with confidence. The growth of both May and Frabcois is played out so realistically in a testament to both Broatch and Cox’s abilities, while the chemistry between the pair could have caused fireworks (though you’ll have to visit another jukebox musical for that particular Katy Perry song).
Sandra Marvin proved a scene-stealing standout as Angelique with a perfect knack for comic timing ensuring a delivery of lines that could be cutting, charismatic or comedic – usually all three. Demonstrating phenomenal vocals, it was her take on ‘F***in’ Perfect’ that really allowed her to make her presence felt in a strikingly good characterisation. Though usually played by Jack Danson, at this performance the role of Romeo was played by Liam Morris who demonstrated once again how understudies and swings are the lifeblood of the industry. In an assured performance, Morris thrilled as the often hapless but incredibly loveable (no, really – just ask his many conquests) Romeo in a performance that really was super dope.
As incredible as the majority of the cast are, there were two knockout stars in this production. The first is the mesmerizingly brilliant Lara Denning as Anne. Having to navigate both the carefree young-at-heart best friend of Juliet while dealing with our own heartbreak and worries about her marriage, Denning showcased an immense versatility and a talent that knows no limits. With the ability to make you laugh and break your heart in a mere moment, she took the bare bones of the role and did her own thing throughout. It was her big musical number ‘That’s The Way It Is’ that proved to be the biggest showstopper of the night, garnering a seemingly never-ending applause. Slowly building up to an almighty climax, Denning held a note longer than I believed to be humanly possible followed by a burst of anguish that embodied the very best in musical theatre performers. A real masterclass performance – Denning’s Anne really did hath a way of capturing my heart.
It would be wrong to end with anyone other than Juliet herself – a truly remarkable Gerardine Sacdalan. From her first appearance on stage, she had the audience fall in love with her quicker than her and Romeo, though thankfully there was nothing tragic about what was to follow. From her bouncing around the stage during ‘Overprotected’ to an intensity as she finally stood up for herself, Sacdalan’s Juliet was riveting to watch In a performance that blew me away from start to finish. Ifher acting is impressive enough, her vocals are something else entirely. From her power anthems singing about heartbreak, loneliness and finally her own empowerment, you believed every word in her performances with the most amazing of voices giving you no option but to hear her roar.
&Juliet is a show I fell in love with back in 2019. Seeing the show again for the first time in two years and seeing this slightly tweaked touring production felt like falling in love with it all over again. The best kind of theatre can provide pure escapism, allowing you to leave all of life’s problems at the door and experience some unbridled joy. &Juliet does this perfectly. However, its seemingly carefree exuberance is not that innocent with more serious and sensitive themes underpinning the story to provide messages and mantras that if more people shared would make the world a far better and more tolerable place.
Is it original? Yeah
Is it the only one? Well, there are other jukebox musicals but none like this so who cares?
All I care about is that &Juliet is back, alright! This really is musical theatre at its very best and an example of how to do a jukebox musical in a way that is crowd-pleasing yet refreshing in its own right. Not only that, as touring productions go, this is pretty unbeatable especially when compared to its glittering West End counterpart. As brilliant as this show was the first time around, I think they did it again with this production which really is as close to f***in perfect as a show gets.
&Juliet is at New Wimbledon Theatre until Saturday 1st February and continues to tour the UK and Ireland until 28th June 2025.
Photos by Matt Crockett