author: Erin Tarpley
“Are you a strong enough man to write a strong woman?”
Ah, Shakespeare. The Bard. The Playwright. The bane of every 9th grade English student. With as famous as his works are, it should come as no surprise that his most famous romantic tragedy of Romeo and Juliet would be turned into a musical at varying times throughout history. It is also not too surprising that someone would come along and attempt to rewrite The Bard’s work into something different, and when one hears that there is a play where Juliet survives her tragic fate mentioned in the sixth line of the play’s prologue and pairs it with the pop music of the turn of the millennium…. Well that just sounds like it’s crossing over into fanfiction territory.
But while having Juliet sing Britany Spears’ “Hit Me Baby One More Time” over Romeo’s death was not a spot on my theatre BINGO card, it works beautifully!
The pop-song selection for this show is anchored around musical producer Max Martin’s (and a group of collaborators credited as “and Friends”) biggest hits of the late 90s, aughts, and early 2010’s. And when Martin’s biggest hits include a catalog made famous by artists like the aforementioned Spears, NSYNC, and Katy Perry, it will come as no surprise that this jukebox musical will certainly bring the loud up-beat pop and belting anthems that lay the foundation for a fun show.
But what makes this show rise above just being “another jukebox musical,” is the wit and charm created in & Juliet’s book by David West Read. Taking it a whole other step beyond just rewriting Juliet’s story, Read creates an opportunity to change this story into one with a modern feminist twist. The mechanism used to carry out this approach is through the scenario where it is in fact Shakespeare’s long-ignored wife (and frankly-just-excited-to-leave-the-kids-with-a-sitter-and-have-a-night-out-thank-you-very-much!), Anne (Teal Wicks), who literally takes the quill out of her husband’s hand to make a few adjustments to this play for the “better.” But of course, with the power of the quill comes the power of Anne to use her voice and create a story for Juliet (Rachel Simone Webb) that she can see herself in; a story of possibility where before there was none, and an escape to self-discovery that lifts up, instead of burning out. And this is where Read’s take on the story really shines.
Clearly respectful for the original source material, Read keeps the characters (mostly) true to their Elizabethan roots but is not afraid to charmingly address some of the more ridiculous aspects of Shakespeare’s work; namely reminding the audience that our two lovers only knew each other for a total of four days before enacting their tragic deaths. Clearly, Juliet needs a chance to live her life. She only had one boyfriend! Oh, right, and that whole “being 13” thing. Veronanians be Verona-ing I guess?
So with magic quill in hand, Anne takes to the sheets (of paper) and makes some liberal adjustments to better suit the heroine she imagines. No longer 13, Juliet is in her mid-twenties and has two best friends (funny how one looks a lot like Anne) who are there to console Juliet and take her on a life-changing vacation to get over her ex while singing pop-banger after pop-banger along the way!
As for those pop-bangers, what makes this show so fun is the way they are so intelligently used throughout. The use of Martin’s musical catalog is structured in such a way where it is not afraid to side-step the choruses of the songs and instead focus much more on the use of strategically chosen verses or lyric-segments of the songs to play not only into the action of the story’s plot, but much more to emphasize humor by association to the ongoings of the characters before us. As a result, not only does the audience get an easy laugh when “Oops I Did It Again” suddenly arrives, but this approach allows for a stronger feeling of natural integration of these songs into the story unfolding.
Visually, this show knows the assignment. Set in a pop-punk world with Elizabethan stylings and a panache for breaking out into hit-song after hit-song, the atmosphere created by Soutra Gilmour (Scenic Design) and Andrez Goulding (Video and Projection Design) create a chic, if not very simplified, atmosphere distantly reminiscent of the 2001 film Moulin Rouge. But while simpler, this space better allows for the actors and ensemble to really take focus and shine “brighter than a firework.” And boi, oh boi, do they! In fabulous costumes designed by Paloma Young, the entire cast is dressed head to toe in fashions that beautifully embody Elizabethan punk-pop-chic by merging doublets and corsets with joggers and denim in a way that feels like a “Teenage Dream!”
As for the performers wearing those costumes: star, after star, after star, after star.
Rachel Simone Webb (Juliet) is a powerhouse force in every number she touches. Whether a moment to carry on as an power-anthem or a quiet moment to reflect, Webb shows immaculate talent and control of her angelic voice that makes her the perfect choice for a character that is both empowering and evolving.
Teal Wicks (Anne) is a force all on her own as she plays the character that literally shapes the narrative. Witty, charming, exhausted, and egar for so much more, Wicks nails all the multi-faceted layers to Anne’s character while nailing the delivery and foundation of every joke and absolutely shining throughout as she evokes laughter and empathy.
While Juliet and her Romeo aren’t the only lovers in this tale, Paul-Jordan Jansen and Kathryn Allison’s Lance and Angelique, respectively, darn near steal the show at several instances throughout. My favorite being their rendition of “Teenage Dream/Break Free”, which was hands down (or hands up?) the funniest number of the entire production!
And while the source material undeniably revolves around a heterosexual romance, & Juliet itself is undeniably queer. Not only in its decision to create a featured non-binary character to the primary cast as one of Juliet’s BFFs, May (Nick Drake), but in the show’s decision to broaden the scope of May’s character by exploring (although admittedly briefly) May’s experiences of gender dysphoria (and euphoria!) within themselves while being misgendered by others. All while navigating the extra challenges of dating that go along with dating while being trans. To this end, Drake is astounding in this character. Fierce, funny, beautiful, and emotive, they leave the audience wanting more of their stellar performance.
All in all, & Juliet isn’t just another jukebox musical; it is a vibrant, exhilarating, and utterly captivating pop-punk explosion that reimagines Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet with a modern, feminist twist. It is a celebration of female empowerment, encouraging audiences to break free from societal constraints and pursue their own passions. Juliet, no longer a tragic heroine, becomes a symbol of resilience, courage, and the pursuit of happiness on her own terms. But act fast! After January 5th, & Juliet will be moving on to explore more of the world’s possibilities.
Running Time: Approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes with one intermission
& Juliet plays through January 5th 2025 in the Opera House Theatre at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F Street NW, Washington, DC. For tickets call the box office at (202) 467-4600 or purchase them online
