Broadway smash & Juliet delivers spectacle as it returns to Aus

The smash hit Broadway musical that features the hits of Britney Spears and Kelly Clarkson is back on Australian soil.

The cast deliver fantastic performances

Let’s just get this out the way, Shakespeare can be a downright slog to get through. Sure, he was a brilliant man and his plays have stood the test of time, but much of that is down to the way his works have been transformed for modern audiences over the last few decades.

& Juliet has returned to Australia after wowing audiences in London and New York. Picture from Daniel Boud.

Over the years, his stories have lived on through cult classic adaptations such as She’s All That, 10 Things I Hate About You and She’s The Man which have gone on to become embedded within pop culture; and now & Juliet – which is currently playing at Perth’s Crown Theatre before going on to Sydney – is destined to live among them.

Just as with its cinema counterparts, & Juliet takes the bare bones of Shakespeare’s play and reimagines it for a modern day audience, all with the help of pop music’s very own Shakespearean figure; Max Martin.

Martin, known as the father of modern day pop, is responsible for some of the biggest hits of the 90s, 00s and 2010s. Without Martin, the world wouldn’t have been introduced to Britney Spears (Baby One More Time, Stronger), Backstreet Boys (Larger Than Life, I Want It That Way, Everybody) and Kelly Clarkson (Since U Been Gone), all of which are effortlessly wove into the musical.

Tears, tantrums and hilarity ensues as the now 20-something Juliet is given the opportunity to explore her own sexuality without the shackles of the male patriarchy holding her back.

While Juliet may be the main protagonist, the backbone to the play comes in the form of Shakespeare’s wife, Anne Hathaway (Amy Lehpamer), who wants more for Juliet and decides to push her stubborn husband to give her a new ending. Lehpamer’s performance is the standout in the show. Her comedic timing had the audience enthralled as she effortlessly flitted between acting and singing, all delivered with a level of charisma that echoed British stage and film star Hannah Waddingham.

The cast deliver pitch-perfect performances, with Amy Lehpamer leaving us hypnotised whenever she graced the stage as Anne Hathaway. Picture from Daniel Boud.

The musical explores a wealth of important themes as Juliet finds new meaning alongside her fabulous best friends, but crucially, never feels preachy, instead handling messages of inclusivity, feminism and gender with nuance and adult humour.

Don’t be fooled by the promise of heartfelt themes and messages into thinking & Juliet is some kind of serious drama, however. This is a comedy through and through, switching beautifully between tugging on your heart strings and tickling your funny bone at any given moment. Jukebox musicals can often come off as cheap imitations, destined to be doomed to the same bargain bin as Spotify karaoke mixes. But & Juliet breaks the mould and truly manages to elevate its already perfect material to new and exciting heights.

Behind it’s pitch-perfect delivery of some of pop music’s best known bangers lies a roaringly funny comedy with heart of gold, and you’ll be hard-pressed to leave without a smile stretched across your face.

Tickets are still available for & Juliet’s Perth shows which are running through January, before the musical arrives in Sydney in February.

Originally published as Broadway smash & Juliet delivers spectacle as it returns to Aus