In a theatrical landscape increasingly dominated by jukebox musicals, a musical based around the songs of Swedish hit guru Max Martin (think Katy Perry, P!nk, Kesha) does not initially pique the interest of most. When jukebox musicals work, it is generally because either they made it big before the concept was in vogue or because the music is well-loved and timeless (Mamma Mia is the most obvious fit for both these categories). A compilation of “I Want It That Way”, “Roar” and “Love Me Like You Do” doesn’t quite fit the bill in the same way. But perhaps shockingly, when & Juliet comes together on stage, it just works incredibly well. The clever crafting of the libretto meshes superbly with the music of Martin, meaning something that shouldn’t work ends up working incredibly well. 

A lot of the credit for the strength of the show is down to the interesting premise upon which the production is based. In essence, it is a subversion of Romeo and Juliet which posits the question ‘what if Juliet did not die?’ The premise instantly grabbed the audience’s attention but the show laboured at the start as it established the scene. However, the dramatic energy began to rise as Juliet (Imani Williams) headed to Paris and the action heated up.  William Shakespeare (Rob Mills) and his wife, Anne Hathaway (yes, really) (played by Amy Lehpamer) assumed the roles of the narrators and did an excellent job of punctuating the action as Juliet met and began to fall in love with the French aristocrat, Francois (Yashith Fernando). 

From the beginning, Imani Williams established herself as the star of the show. Although Lorinda May Merrypor was meant to take the stage for media night, everyone in the audience was blown away by Williams who gave an impassioned and powerful performance as Juliet. Her version of ‘Baby, One More Time’ was spectacular in its beauty and nuance and her vocals throughout the show were stunning. It was the performance that made the show without a doubt. 

Hayden Tee and Casey Donovan were also hilarious as an unlikely couple. While both Tee and Donovan are known for the fabulous voices (which they perhaps did not have the opportunity to show off in this production), they showed the breadth of their abilities with an incredible comedic performance. Tee in particular had the audience in stitches throughout with his portrayal of the imperfect aristocratic father, Lance. Jesse Dutlow was incredible as the flamboyant May and Blake Appelqvist embodied everything that Romeo should (and his entrance for “It’s My Life” was one of the highlights of the show). 

One of the most important things about the show was the amplification and indeed, normalisation of diversity throughout. The subversion of the tropes of Romeo and Juliet did not stop with the mere superficial as the production introduced a queer love story that ran throughout. It didn’t feel like an ‘add-on’ but rather, flowed as a natural continuation of the story which was incredibly refreshing given the dominance of heteronormative storylines, even in the most modern musical theatre. The cast was also extremely racially diverse, which is sadly still a rarity in Australian theatre at all levels. The selection and strength of the casting is a credit to the production team, who took on a challenge from which many in Australian musical theatre still shy away. The precedent that productions like this set, not only for big budget productions but local productions and grassroots theatre simply cannot be understated. 

Overall, this was one of the best surprises I have seen at the theatre in a long time. It is rare to see a jukebox musical that feels like a cohesive story but this production certainly felt clever and complete. The superb cast also ensured that the energy of the performance remained high and the audience remained engaged. While the opening of the production lagged a little, the audience who made it through that initial period were rewarded with a whimsical and hilarious production. Without wanting to overstate anything, this production feels like an inflexion point in Australian theatre as big budget productions move towards a normalisation of diversity on the main stage. Whether the momentum can be maintained is a matter to observe over the next few years but progress is certainly starting to be made. This is a production that simply cannot be missed. 

Rating: ★★★★1/2

& Juliet plays at the Lyric Theatre until 16^th June. For more information, click here. 

Photo credit: Daniel Boud