& JULIET Creates Fireworks With Star-crossed Lovers and Pop Divas
The Bard meets the jukebox musical in the inventive and uplifting & Juliet and the result is a spirited, laugh out loud funny, and genuinely affectionate look at love in many forms – young love, lasting love, mature love, unexpected love, deep friendships, and even self-love. Set to pop hits from the early 2000s, the resulting story is an unabashed good time you can dance along to. An infectious and engaging cast and a commitment to the essentials in William Shakespeare’s beloved romantic tragedy ensure that this highly entertaining musical earns its raucous laughs and frequent applause.
Tonight is opening night of Romeo & Juliet, and Anne Hathaway, Shakespeare’s wife, is actually getting a night out to attend the premiere. Shakespeare is excited and anxious all at once, and relieved that he finally finished the script. Less impressed with the ending, Hathaway poses a simple question, “What if Juliet lives?” The two decide to work together to rewrite the story, though the going often feels more like a competition than partnership.
In a radical change from the original, upon waking and discovering Romeo is dead, Juliet decides not to kill herself. Her parents burst in full of rage and disappointment, admonishing Juliet to “get thee to a nunnery.” Juliet rebels, running away to Paris with her nurse Angelique and best friend’s May and April. There, Juliet meets François, a young man whose father is both eager to marry the boy off and a past paramour of the nurse. As Shakespeare and his wife bicker about the plot and dialogue, one over-arching question emerges: Is Juliet pre-destined to fall into another hastily arranged marriage or can she change her fate?
Hathaway and Shakespeare spar over the story, each making changes that the other then tries to re-correct, creating clever variations and setting up multiple love stories and possible happy endings, revealing their own marital issues and deep affection. Teal Wicks and Corey Mach are a perfectly matched pair as Hathaway and Shakespeare, with strong personalities and complementary voices that drive the story forward. There’s a charged atmosphere between the two that infuses the story and characters with vitality and urgency.
St. Louis-raised Nick Drake delights as Juliet’s nonbinary bestie May, a faithfully loyal and fearless friend who longs for and finds true love on their journey. Though the arrows of true love get a bit crossed, it’s easy to root for both Juliet and May. Daniel J. Maldonado and Jaydon Nget are charming and likeable as the bad boy Romeo and shy but sincere François. Finally, Naima Alakham and Paul-Jordan Jansen add humor and honesty as Angelique and Lance, unexpectedly reunited and given a second chance at love. But here, just like in the original, Rachel Simone Webb’s love struck but empowered Juliet shines brightest in the sky. Webb expertly capture Juliet’s youthful exuberance and impetuousness with a strong voice and girl power attitude that fits a contemporary heroine and a quick-witted resilience that matches Shakespeare’s best.
Each song is well placed in support of the story and complemented with engaging and energetic contemporary choreography. While the music of Brittany Spears and Katie Perry feature in the selections, there’s representation from Pink, Kelly Clarkson, and a couple of boy bands and rock favorites, too. Standout performances include “I Want It That Way,” “Baby One More Time,” “I’m Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman,” the surprising and sweet “I Kissed a Girl,” the rebellious joy of “Since U Been Gone,” the sung for laughs “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back),” the affirming and emotional “Fucking Perfect,” and the anthemic “Roar.”
With assistance from William Shakespeare and the pop divas of the early 2000s, writer David West Read and composer Max Martin reimagine the classic romantic tragedy into an upbeat and genuinely entertaining treat for most ages. The clever script even references other famous Shakesperean works as well as the Bard’s propensity for inventive language. There are a few curse words, partying, sexual innuendo, and openness towards gender identity and sexual preferences, but the overall tone and message of & Juliet is one of empowerment and self-discovery, delivered with affection and respect. Witty dialogue, sharp performances, and an infectious score ensure & Juliet is an exciting new take on the jukebox musical and a bold exploration of love.
