& Juliet at New Wimbledon Theatre
“It’s now or never / I ain’t gonna live forever,” sang Bon Jovi. In & Juliet, there’s a grand repossession, a sense of living life beyond predetermined lines and reclaiming one’s own story. The musical reimagining of Shakespeare’s most famous love play filters female empowerment through a contemporary lens. While it leans on familiar tropes and takes an easy route into its swingy, pop-infused energy, the production – now in its sixth year and touring across the country, with a stop at New Wimbledon Theatre in London – delivers powerhouse vocals and a setlist of pop hits that electrify the hall and thrill the audience.
William Shakespeare (Jay McGuinness), the famous playwright, is about to launch the premiere of his latest tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. His wife, Anne Hathaway (Lara Denning), who usually stays in Stratford-Upon-Avon to look after their daughters, is not very happy with the finale, though. So how about Juliet (Gerardine Sacdalan) doesn’t actually kill herself but starts a new life without Romeo (Liam Morris) in Paris? In the city of love, accompanied by her best friend May (Jordan Broatch) and the nurse Angeliqué (Sandra Marvin), she may find a new match, but also more complications, with parents setting high expectations, butterflies in the stomach that persist, and encounters that pull at her companions’ heartstrings.
The twists and turns of the destinies of the Verona couple are consequences of the projection on paper of another relationship: the highs and lows of the marriage between Shakespeare and Anna. This latter seeks a sort of revenge through the fate of the fictional character, like a dream she wishes for herself is being gifted to the innocent Juliet. Her tenacious commitment, her reasons and her demands, stem from a profound loneliness that many women – left home looking after the house while the man was out somewhere looking for glory (or left for good) – must have experienced, and still experience.
The production’s youthful interpretation, complete with trainers, jeans jackets and dance moves inspired by hip-hop and social media trends, renders this frustration and quest for autonomy somewhat superficial, at times even puppet-like. Juliet easily ends up confused between duty and love, shifting from proclaiming independence to deep commitment in the blink of an eye, as much as a Don Giovanni-esque Romeo. Even the choreography more often than not feels stagey, which would suit better a flashy concert than a fully developed theatre narrative. However, the song numbers are undeniably crowd-pleasing, with a setlist packed with highly recognisable and danceable tracks by Backstreet Boys, Ariana Grande, Britney Spears, Ella Golding and more.
There is certainly a standout component in the production, and that is its exuberant energy. Confetti bursts midshow to underline that point and bold colours are omnipresent in the props and the attire, embracing an adolescent aesthetic. But what a powerhouse Sacdalan becomes when she launches into Roar. And Denning’s soaring solo in That’s The Way It Is strikes right to the heart. The beats throb with intensity, the kicks land with precision and every single verse is belted with conviction. And so, in the words of the Bard himself, “If music be the food of love, play on.”
Cristiana Ferrauti
Photos: Matt Crockett
& Juliet is at New Wimbledon Theatre from 27th January until 1st February 2025. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.
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