Theatre Review: Shakespeare Meets Pop-Music In The Entertaining & JULIET

PUBLISHED October 3rd, 2023 06:00 am | UPDATED July 25th, 2024 02:49 pm

“For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo.”

Until now.

We’re all too familiar with the tale of the star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet, whose romance ends in heartbreak and despair. But what if the story doesn’t end there? What if Juliet chose to live after Romeo’s demise? What if someone else rewrites the story? Find out in our theatre review of “& JULIET” on its Asian Premiere here in Singapore.

In a creative collaboration featuring a script by Emmy® Award-winning writer David West Read and a soundtrack curated by the legendary five-time GRAMMY® Award-winning songwriter and producer Max Martin, “& JULIET” is produced by Michael Cassel Group in association with MTM/Leyline and presented by Base Entertainment Asia.

Turning William Shakespeare’s love tragedy into a delightful conundrum of narratives, “& JULIET” delves into themes of empowerment, gender roles, and the courage to pursue love in all its different forms. Filled with plot twists and turns, “& JULIET” delivers a deluge of emotions – from laughter and despair to courage and love – through a playlist of iconic pop songs. Expect the unexpected and be prepared to jump onto your feet for a spectacular performance within the performance in this creative riff on the timeless tale.

The play begins behind the scenes, where we see William Shakespeare telling  the original story to his cast members. His wife, Anne Hathaway, has a different view and wants a hand in this. So they started writing together, continuing Juliet’s journey after the demise of Romeo. But instead of having Juliet rush to her death, the re-written story reveals new facts about Romeo and sees Juliet do the unthinkable for women in those times. With her GBF (Gay Best Friend), May and her living nanny, Angélique, Juliet goes against her parents’ orders and sets off for the city of love – Paris.

The trio’s journey through Paris leads the characters to self-discovery. With newfound courage to “Roar” and honour their thoughts and feelings, they stand up to societal expectations and beliefs. In this coming-of-age story, there were “Oops, I did it again” moments, as well as proud “It’s My life” endings. The catchy pop songs, cleverly threaded in the script, aptly amplify the story in delightful ways. Expect resonance with pop anthems from stars like Katy Perry, Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, and more.

The story-within-a-story approach of the production introduces layers of narratives which enrich the theme of empowerment and gender roles. The complexity it brings highlights how women of those times leave their lives to fate, except in Juliet’s case, fate is another woman writing out of her desires. But as a result of the embedded narratives, opportunities for second chances arise. It is also refreshing to see the break away from the typical portrayal of “sidekicks”, with May’s narrative intertwined with Juliet’s, yet pulling its weight as a story arc on its own. Even nanny Angélique gets her own side story, albeit in a more humorous manner.

On the costumes front, we love the colourful sartorial medley that blends old and new. See modern reinterpretations in ruffle shirts with leather jackets, puffy skirts, and cropped jackets fashioned with cargo pants. It even extends to the stage, where we see hints of a glitzy club with an open bar in a lavish Victorian-styled ballroom complete with a hanging chandelier.

Highly experienced and talented cast members breathe life into the story, taking us from uproarious laughs to the sorrows of love. Lorinda May Merrypor, in the lead role of Juliet, conveys the character’s wide range of emotions and effortlessly draws the audience into her story. Jesse Dutlow‘s portrayal of May is an artful navigation of the character’s inner turmoil, while Yashith Fernando‘s professional musical theatre debut in the role of Francois is on-point in delivering the character’s vulnerability. The infectious energy of Hayden Tee as Lance, Casey Donovan as Angélique, and Blake Appelqvist as Romeo brings about so much fun, making it such a joy to watch them. Not forgetting, the chemistry between William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway, as portrayed by Rob Mills and Amy Lehpamer, delivers many relatable moments on stage.

Truly a lively and highly engaging theatrical experience, “& JULIET” brings a breath of fresh air to the all too familiar Shakespearean love story. Plus, with a name like “& JULIET”, you’ll want to know where Romeo is.

& JULIET runs until 15 October 2023 at Sands Theatre, located at Marina Bay Sands, 4 Bayfront Avenue, Basement 1, Singapore 018973. Tickets run from S$68++ onwards. City Nomads readers enjoy a 20% discount here.

All images courtesy of Daniel Boud.