Review: & Juliet, Bristol Hippodrome – ‘A celebration of love, identity, and the power of rewriting your story’

There have been a lot of alternate history stories before, and they often revolve around questions such as ‘what if Hitler had won the war?’

Against this well-trodden context, & Juliet is a refreshing change, asking ‘what if Juliet hadn’t killed herself at the end of Romeo and Juliet?’ She was only 13 after all. So, rather than ending in her suicide following her lover’s death, this story offers Juliet a chance to rewrite her fate.

At its heart, & Juliet is a playful, colourful explosion of music and humour that blends and bends the Bard’s classic tale, weaving in pop songs from the late 90s and 00s along the way.

The clever bit is that Juliet’s story is being reimagined in real-time by William Shakespeare himself, and more importantly his wife, Anne Hathaway. Anne is frustrated with Will’s grim ending to his famous tragedy, so she takes the reins and starts rewriting Juliet’s story to give her a better, more satisfying story.

It’s a great setup that allows Juliet’s journey to be explored while also reflecting the struggles in Will and Anne’s marriage.

As Juliet sets off to Paris to escape her overbearing, controlling parents, she meets a host of new characters, including the non-binary May and the charming but confused Francois.

The show also brings back Romeo – because why not? – and reveals him to be a vain, self-absorbed ladies’ man who isn’t quite as heroic as Juliet once thought (a reflection of how Anne saw William, maybe)?

The plot is fairly predictable, but peppered with historical facts about Shakespeare to please the devotees.

The musical numbers, featuring hits like Britney Spears’ Baby One More Time, Katy Perry’s Roar, and Kelly Clarkson’s Since U Been Gone are integrated into the story in a (mostly) seamless way.

And while there’s a touch of the usual contrivance expected in a jukebox musical, the powerhouse vocals of Gerardine Sacdalan as Juliet and the standout performance of Lara Denning as the sharp, spirited Anne really give the play a concert feel at times. Denning, in particular, steals the spotlight with her dynamic energy and commanding presence (in the vein of Sarah Hadland in Miranda).

The costumes are a wild mash-up of Elizabethan and modern styles – think corsets paired with sneakers. Add in bursts of confetti and a pumping soundtrack, and you’ve got a production that has a real party atmosphere that knows its audience.

Of course, it won’t be to everyone’s taste. The humour is broad, the music is very pop, and for certain people, the changes from the original story might be a step too far. But that’s the point. & Juliet wasn’t created to please everyone.

If you loved Boy Bands and the music from that era, you will enjoy this feel-good show, a celebration of love, identity, and the power of rewriting your story.

& Juliet is at Bristol Hippodrome from January 15-25 at 7.30pm, with additional 2.30 matinee shows on Wednesday and Saturday. Tickets are available at www.atgtickets.com.

All photos: Matt Crockett

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