Review: & Juliet at The Birmingham Hippodrome

★★★★★

Ever wondered what might have happened if Juliet’s ending had been different? Created by the Emmy award-winning writer from Schitt’s Creek (Book by David West Read), & Juliet is a jukebox musical that flips the script on Shakespeare’s original romantic tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, and discovers what would happen next for Juliet if it didn’t all end over Romeo. In this production, “It is the east, and Juliet is the sun” and thus the leading light in the show’s story.

Using colourful costuming (Paloma Young), set design (Soutra Gilmour), lively music and choreography (Jennifer Weber), and bright bursts of comedy, & Juliet brings Shakespeare into the modern era of female empowerment; with a little help from Shakespeare’s wife Anne who has a hand in writing Juliet’s new ending.

The playlist is bursting with life and vibrancy with a staggering playlist of 30 classic pop anthems and chart toppers including Britney Spears’ Stronger, Katy Perry’s I Kissed a Girl, and Kelly Clarkson’s Since U Been Gone, all from Max Martin, the songwriter and producer behind more #1 hits than any other artist this century, and his collaborators including; Kesha, Ariana Grande, The Backstreet Boys and more.

This production stars Gerardine Sacdalan as Juliet, Ranj Singh making his musical theatre début as the hilariously silly Lance, Jay McGuiness (The Wanted) as Shakespeare, Lara Denning as Anne Hathaway, Sandra Marvin as the nurse Angelique, Jordan Broatch as Juliet’s newly introduced best friend May, Kyle Cox as François, and Ben Jackson Walker (Broadway’s & Juliet) as Romeo.

Particularly notable among the cast are the fabulous vocals from Gerardine Sacdalan, Sandra Marvin, and Lara Denning, while Jay McGuiness and Ranj Singh play their comedy lines perfectly, the former often making light mockery of the Bard himself.

The introduction of the new character May, played beautifully and emotively by Jordan Broatch (Four Felons and a Funeral) also allows the musical to explore queer and non-binary storylines, that are so often under the surface of Shakespeare’s gender-bending works.

Directed by Luke Sheppard, & Juliet is a sparkling new musical that takes a tragedy and gives it new life. While the musical offers a different story, more in-keeping with the contemporary world, the plot also uses many of the Shakespearian troupes including love triangles, miscommunications, deception, hidden identities, confusion and twists to keep the characters and the audience on their toes.

An exciting, confetti-filled musical, & Juliet is a tale of finding freedom, finding yourself, and finding confidence in this amazingly joyful ‘Pitch Perfect’ party.

“For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo,” but when Juliet breaks free of her story there is plenty of festivity to be had.

& Juliet runs at Birmingham’s Hippodrome Theatre until Saturday 3rd May.

This review was written following a press invite to the production.