& JULIET, EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE
★★★★
Forget everything you know, or think you know, about Romeo and Juliet
What’ and ‘if’, two powerful words that lie at the heart of Max Martin & Tim Headington’s smash hit musical production, & Juliet. What if Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers had not died together, their hearts broken. What if Juliet had survived to love again? And what if Romeo had risen, phoenix-like from his eternal slumber? What indeed?
As & Juliet opens, the volume of the preshow soundtrack begins to rise as, one by one, the cast wander onto the stage, a cheery wave, nod or smile of acknowledgement to the audience as they do. This company of actors is ready to tell a tale. We are in Shoreditch, London, Soutra Gilmore’s punchy set design informs us. All popping colours and jumbled shapes, dominated by a huge neon show logo, it’s a dynamic, etc-catching set up that holds a few surprises along the way.
With no fourth wall and characters that talk directly to the house in much the way Shakespeare’s roving troupe of players engaged the masses when Romeo & Juliet was first performed, it’s a device that works brilliantly. Indeed, it’s Will himself, a charismatic and perfectly pitched performance by Michael Nelson, covering for the indisposed Matt Cardle, and his betrothed Anne Hathaway who set the scene.
Anne has a challenge for her husband. The ending of Romeo & Juliet is ‘wrong’ and she intends to help him rewrite it to allow the young Capulet to find her voice… and so, as the pair vie to control the narrative, one of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies is given a complete rewrite. Bickering and squabbling as they do, the pair dream up a story as convoluted as anything that came from the feathered quill of Shakespeare himself while discovering much about their own relationship along the way.
Consequently, we meet the now fully recovered daughter of the House of Capulet listening to her Walkman and belting out Britney Spears’ …Baby One More Time. Enough to have the Bard of Avon spinning in his grave, or graves, if you’re from the school of thought that believes more than one was involved in the writing of Shakespeare’s works. Or so you may think.
So begins two hours of power pop anthems, laughter and forbidden love all delivered with verve and humour and fond nod to the original by an energetic 19-strong ensemble cast. If there is the occasional sense of style over substance it’s down to director Luke Sheppard’s fast and furious approach to storytelling, which leaves supporting roles never fully fleshed out. Instead, it’s the force of the Max Martin and Friends score to carry the piece – it’s hard to go wrong with such universal hits as Britney’s Oops!.. I Did It Again, Katy Perry’s I Kissed A Girl and Roar, Bon Jovi’s It’s My Life, Backstreet Boys’ Everybody (Backstreet’s Back) and many, many more.
In the title role, Gerardine Sacdalan is a powerhouse performer with strong vocals and inexhaustible energy. Her Juliet is feisty and fearless and the perfect foil for her wily, not so old, nurse, Sandra Marvin’s wonderfully maternal Angelique. Marvin steals the show with a huge vocal range and sharp comic timing – she fires out throw away lines with knowing glee while never losing the truth of her character. Paired with her own love interest, Lance, played likably by Ranj Singh, she owns every scene she appears in.
Elsewhere, Jordan Broatch, as the corseted May, too has great stage presence giving a touching yet funny turn as well as delivering an emotionally charged rendition of another Britney favourite, I’m Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman. Jack Danson’s narcissistic Romeo, meanwhile, may be ‘super dope’ (meaning ‘cool’, for any vintage teenagers reading) but is lightly performed, while Lara Denning makes for a trying Anne Hathaway and Kyle Cox proves a laid back Francois.
Throughout all the characters various journeys of self-discovery, actors young and old alike excel when challenged by Jennifer Webber’s spectacular, high energy street dance routines, while David West Read’s book wryly pokes gentle fun at the absurdity of aspects of the source material when viewed through the lens of today. His is a clever, cheeky and unapologetically cheerful book that keeps the laughs coming and the flame of hope burning.
A piece of theatre of the people, & Juliet is an explosive, joyous reminder that, above all else, love is love. Were Shakespeare alive today, he’d surely be chuckling his approval.
Runs until Saturday 16 November at Edinburgh Playhouse. Tickets here.
Full tour dates and tickets here.
