Five years since its world premiere at the same theatre, ‘& Juliet’ has returned to Manchester Opera House, where it begins an extensive UK tour. Since its debut in 2019, it has received global acclaim with productions stretching from Broadway to Melbourne!
The show begins with different members of the ensemble taking to the stage one by one, it’s rehearsal time for the premiere of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. Unhappy with how the narrative portrays Juliet (Gerardine Sacdalan), Shakespeare’s wife Anne (Lara Denning) decides to re-write her ending, meaning Juliet doesn’t die. Whilst Shakespeare himself (Matt Cardle) has trepidation in this, he gives in to his wife’s wishes. What follows is 2.5 hours of theatrical escapism at its best.
This ‘boptastic’ Jukebox musical is home to the hits of Max Martin. If you don’t know him by name you will certainly know many of the songs he has written, having penned some of the biggest hits for Britney, Ariana Grande and Backstreet Boys! Unlike some Jukebox musicals where songs are seemingly just thrown in for the sake of it, these fit so perfectly that it’s almost comical. & Juliet really leans into this and never takes itself too seriously, which is part of its undeniable charm. In fact, it is so well done that you really don’t have to be a fan of the music (or even have an awareness of it) to enjoy the show.
With three of the original West End Cast receiving Olivier Awards for their performances, the tour cast had a lot to live up to. However, this cast is superb and absolutely hold there own. Fresh from graduating this is Geradine Sacdalan’s stage debut as Juliet. Whilst her vocals are spine-tinglingly good, it is her feisty interpretation of the lead character which steals the show. She has an exceedingly bright future ahead of her and I can’t wait to see what she goes on to achieve. The ever fabulous Lara Denning and Matt Cardle also command the audiences attention whenever they are on stage; oozing charm, likability and warmth throughout.
The set is impressive with clever use of screens, blending effortlessly with set pieces to create an array of locations throughout. Whilst the original production had a collection of revolves, this have not been able to be utilised for the tour. For anyone less familiar with the show, these things however won’t be noticed nor missed. This is because despite the production being incredible, it at no point relies on having a flashy set to do the heavy lifting. With a book by Emmy and Golden Globe winner David West Read, the script alone will have you belly laughing throughout!
& Juliet is the absolute gold standard for jukebox musicals. It is impossible to not smile from ear to ear watching this camp slice of musical theatre heaven. You can catch it at Manchester Opera House until Saturday 20 July 2024.
Note: My ticket was gifted. Irrespective of whether a show is gifted or bought, I always ensure that my reviews are fair and based on my honest opinion alone.
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