REVIEW: & Juliet at Sunderland Empire

 & Juliet

Sunderland Empire

Until Saturday 21 September 2024

& Juliet is an engaging coming-of-age jukebox musical based around the familiar Shakespeare tale, featuring the music of Swedish pop songwriter Max Martin (Britney Spears, Katy Perry, Backstreet Boys et al.), with a book by David West Read, has landed in Sunderland for a two week run. The story focuses on a "what if" scenario, in which Juliet does not die at the end of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.

Packed full of music from this century's most successful composer, Max Martin, this show could simply be yet another jukebox musical that descends into concert  mode, but it steers clear of that pitfall and let's the music describe a refreshing story of empowerment. Clever use of musical motifs help integrate the music into the story, and subtle rewriting of the occasional lyric adds to the humour.

Romeo and Juliet is still studied at schools today. Generations of English teachers trying to justify Bill Shakespeare's Romeo and his actions. The child Juliet  is given few choices and this results in tragic results.  This musical asks: what if she had been an appropriate age to date Romeo? What if she had more of a free mind and free will than Shakespeare was willing to allow? What if she hadn't died and simply put that episode down to experience and got on with the rest of her life, with friends, in Paris? What if Shakespeare's wife had more of a say in the story and gave a female perspective? Thus & Juliet starts from that point. 

Of course this has 2024 sensibilities and ethics. As our teachers reminded us: it wasn't like that back then, those choices were probably not available.  Or that's what we get told.

As a sub-plot we have Anne (Lara Denning) and William (Matt Cardle) exploring their own relationship as they argue over how this rewrite goes.

So Romeo (Jack Danson) is dead. Thus we have a funeral Juliet (Gerardine Sacdalan) is threatened by her mother to be forced to join the nuns. Instead of this, she runs off with her nurse Angelique (Sandra Marvin) and friends May (Jordan Broatch). They seek, and find love in Paris and before you know Oops, she has done it again. This is handy for Lance (Ranj Singh) as he has been pretty desperate to find someone for his son Francois (Kyle Cox). 

This musical is delightful for many reasons: an engaging talented cast playing songs that have been carefully weaved into a plot that sorts out the many issues of the original.  We were also blessed by some of the best lighting and sound design which helped the performers the have impact with their songs. Add in a number of fine solo performers from Juliet, nurse and Anne.

This is a great energetic musical with comic timing and it shifts along at a fair pace. It celebrates life, freedom of choice and the need to give agency to others. That that end it is a celebration and we really enjoyed it.

Review: Stephen Oliver 

On The Web:

Website: www.andjulietthemusical.co.uk

Instagram: @julietmusical

Facebook: @julietmusical                                                       

X: @julietmusical

YouTube: @julietmusical1925  

 

Tickets: 

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& JULIET will wow Sunderland Empire audiences from Tuesday 10 – Saturday 21 September 2024. Tickets available from: https://prf.hn/l/p3qBvA5  *

*A £3.65 transaction fee applies to online bookings.