& Juliet is back in the city where it premiered nearly five years ago and there are only eight more days left to grab your tickets!
As someone who had never seen the show previously, or heard much about it either, I think this might just be my new favourite musical. I was absolutely in awe from start to finish and sat with a grin on my face the entire time. This innovative spin on Romeo and Juliet is so heartwarming and full of feel-good moments that leave you dancing out of the theatre, still humming the songs.
The show begins on the opening night of William Shakespeare's latest play, a tragedy about the ill-fated romance between Romeo and Juliet. But when Shakespeare's wife, Anne Hathaway, arrives in London to watch, she's far from impressed with the ending and suggests an alternative: what if Juliet didn't kill herself over a boy she met just days earlier? What could her life look like then?
In a creative and marital showdown, Anne and William rewrite the play. Juliet awakes to find Romeo dead and her parents threatening to send her to a convent but instead of allowing others to decide her fate, she decides to take control of her own destiny and sets off on a road trip to Paris with her nurse, Angelique, her non-binary best friend, May, and another friend, April.
As a huge lover of jukebox musicals, I was so excited to see hits from the Backstreet Boys, P!nk, Katy Perry and more woven into this beautiful storyline, but the show exceeded all of my expectations.
I am still completely awe-struck today – what a phenomenal bunch of performers!!
Gerardine Sacdalan, playing the role of Juliet, is one of the most talented performers I have ever seen. She was incredible and makes THE most perfect Juliet to lead the tour. Her voice is absolutely breathtaking and as she performed her opening number '...Baby One More Time' the audience was filled with gasps and "wows".
The hilarious interactions between Anne (Lara Denning) and Shakespeare (Matt Cardle) were some of my favourite aspects of the show. The comedic timing was spot on and I adored their constant breaking of the fourth wall and pauses of the show every few scenes to discuss how the story was unfolding.
Ranj Singh had us in stitches of laughter with his natural comedic presence and the "Bois Band" rendition of 'Everybody (Backstreet's Back)' was another highlight of the show for us.
The costumes were a stunning mix of colour, glitz and glam, adding a modern twist to Elizabethan fashion.
It's fun, it's uplifting, it's fierce and funny and fabulous. & Juliet explores the themes of feminism, individuality, equality, female empowerment and so, so many other prominent issues in today's society.
I can't recommend this show enough and think everyone should watch it at least once in their lifetime. Get your tickets for '& Juliet' here: https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/and-juliet/opera-house-manchester/
