Theatre Review: & Juliet

About five minutes into the show I already had tears of laughter streaming down my face. I didn't stop laughing and squealing with delight until the curtain call.

The plot - unusual for a jukebox musical - is relatively well thought through. What if Juliet didn't die at the end of Romeo + Juliet? What if she left Verona to seek her heart's desire? And, much like a Shakespeare comedy, there's no shortage of star-cross'd lovers, puns, intense queerness, and ridiculous Frenchmen. There's also a hefty chunk of Shakespearean theory wedged in there, almost as if to prove that the writer understood the hallowed boards he treads upon. Leading to perhaps my favourite line of the show, "Benvolio… Chill!"

There's a definite nod to Baz Luhrmann movie - in terms of set design and costume. The overall effect is a joyous way to drag the audience through the fourth-wall and into a crazy universe where Rosaline gets to sing about her fukboi ex.

Oh, yeah, it's a musical! The songs are all written by Max Martin. I'll admit to being ignorant of his œuvre. Well, I thought I was ignorant. But, because of the huge number of hit songs he's had, it turns out that I knew most of them!

The joy comes from seeing just how effortlessly the songs blend in to the story. Juliet, sat in a dark crypt, pining over her dead lover - what else can she sing except "My loneliness is killing me"? It's all too perfect!

You can feel the audience roar with approval as the plot segues into yet another hit song.

This is a precious gem of a show. We were lucky enough to get cheap tickets for the understudy matinee and - wow! - each performer just blew me away. Their drive, enthusiasm, and talent were incredible. The standing ovation at the end was thoroughly well deserved.

Interestingly, there were a few little technical glitches. The crew dealt promptly and unobtrusively with the occasional truculent prop - the magic of live theatre, eh?

This is the perfect post-pandemic tonic. And, every so often, there's a sing-along performance. Grab some tickets!