Well, dip my eyeballs in glitter. The brand-new musical, & Juliet, is now in Sydney, and it’s a high-energy mash-up of Shakespearean storytelling, 90s pop music, and gender-bending progressiveness. Re-working the story of Romeo & Juliet (1597), the story starts with William Shakespeare (Rob Mills) and his wife Anne Hathaway (Amy Lehpamer) (yes, you read that name correctly and yes, it has been fact-checked) debating on whether the ending of his play is really all that good. What if Juliet didn’t die, and was free to live a life of her own?
& Juliet is a new musical that kicked off in West End in 2019 and has found its way to Oz, touring Melbourne and Perth before ending up in Sydney for a mega show run. But is there anything new about it? No, but also, yes. The creators (Book by David West Read, Director Luke Sheppard, music and lyrics by Max Martin & Friends) have taken popular texts from different spans of time and managed to merge them into a cohesive musical.
And so, it would seem a little chaotic at first, but it really finds its groove by the end of the first act. It is also very much held firmly together by an outstandingly talented cast. The main event Juliet is played by Lorinda May Merrypor. Merrypor has a booming yet melodic voice on stage and radiates joy. At her side is none other than Casey Donovan, who plays nurse Angelique. Every time Donovan opens her mouth, you know damn well, you’re in for a very good time. And the list goes on, all the way to the cast of players who are truly skilled dancers and keep the adrenaline pumping to the end.
Featuring over twenty pop hits, this musical brings the catchy tunes we know and love and works them into the narrative in clever and comical ways. There are hits from The Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, Katy Perry, and even Bon Jovi. Because of this, it is very difficult to restrain yourself from singing along. However, the cast welcomes a bit of audience interaction, especially for the big concluding musical numbers.
There are confetti and glitter cannons everywhere, beautiful staging, and some stunning costumes that manage to marry all eras into one. Credits go to set designer Soutra Gilmour and costume designer Paloma Young, a stellar result and commendation to the production team and local crew. The aforementioned makes it all sound so intense yet it is a very easy musical to watch. And it is so much fun, so why not unashamedly sing along to your favourite Backstreet Boys’ song while questioning gender norms, and cheering for a girl who just wants to live a little?
FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
& Juliet is now playing at the Sydney Lyric Theatre until June 2024. For tickets, please click here.
The reviewer attended the Sydney Premier on 7 March 2024.
