A deliciously cheesy feast for the senses that chucks the greatest pop songs of the last 30 years at the greatest love story ever told.Summary
Rating
Excellent
Walking with the crowds back towards Wimbledon station after & Juliet, and the air was buzzing with laughter and happiness. Whilst there’s plenty of value in serious, thought-provoking theatre, sometimes all you need is a re-imagining of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet with a healthy dose of Britney thrown in the mix.
& Julietis unapologetically cheesy, loud and fun. We meet Juliet just after Romeo has died – in this version Juliet survives. She then finds out at his funeral that her great love had a few other girls on the side. What follows is a riotous adventure, and ultimately, a story about finding what really matters (I told you it was cheesy).
William Shakespeare and his wife Anne Hathaway star in the show, writing the new story as they go. This is a fun touch, with plenty of jokes for the Shakespeare fans, and a hysteria-inducing change to the Backstreet Boys’ classic “I want it that way”, becoming “I want Anne Hathaway”. Shakespeare is played by Jay McGuiness, familiar to most of us from his days in boy band The Wanted. The role is perfect for him, he’s got a great voice, as you’d expect, but he’s also funny and charming on stage. Lara Denning shines as Shakespeare’s long-suffering wife, she’s made for the part.
This is a cast filled with surprises, in particular Dr Ranj Singh, who you might recognise from daytime tv, in his musical tour debut. His French accent as Lance is hilarious, hopefully intentionally so. But he also delights with both his physical humour, particularly alongside Sandra Marvin as Angeliqué, and his vocal performance in the second half.
The show does a good job of celebrating the source material, with colourful Elizabethan inspired costumes given a modern twist, and many references to the life and work of Shakespeare. One of the funniest modern/Elizabethan mash ups is a version of Britney’s ‘Overprotected’ performed by Gerardine Sacdalan (whose Juliet was captivating) and Kyle Cox (François). Another performance highlight is “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)”, a deliciously 90s boy band moment which includes a heart-throb of a Romeo, covered marvelously by Liam Morris at this performance.
The way the songs we know and love are inserted into the plot is at times comical in its own right. It’s a little close to the line of chronically cheesy, wedding vows are “As long as you love me” and after an unexpected kiss we hear “I kissed a girl”. But this is the joy of the show, it doesn’t care if you find it silly, it’s meant to be. It verges on panto at times, in a really delicious way.
I hadn’t heard of Max Martin before researching this show, which is shocking when I discover that he soundtracked most of my teenage years. He’s a Swedish music executive with a catalog of over 250 songs, and pairing this iconic portfolio with Canadian writer David West Read (writer on Schitt’s Creek), results in this wonderfully life-affirming show.
As always with shows at the New Wimbledon Theatre, I wish they’d stop selling popcorn. The constant undercurrent of crunching is annoying. But luckily, the show is loud and fun enough to distract you.
If you don’t like musicals, cheese, or Britney Spears, this show probably isn’t for you. But if you’re willing to let yourself be transported to a vibrant, ridiculous, and fun world, then strap in for a night that will leave you bouncing towards the tube.
Music and lyrics by: Max Martin and Friends
Book by: David West Read
Directed by: Luke Shepherd
Choreography by: Jennifer Weber
& Juliet is at the New Wimbledon Theatre until 1st February, it then travels around the UK and Ireland until June 2025. Further information about the tour is available here. Booking for New Wimbledon Theatre are available here.