The Broadway hit musical comedy “& Juliet,” now on stage at the Fabulous Fox Theater, takes a different look at the Shakespearean love story universally synonymous with romance. Throughout the ages, romantics everywhere have swooned over the Bard’s “Romeo and Juliet” and quoted its lines. Of course, there is a problem for all those romantics: both those young lovers end up dead by the play’s end. Couldn’t there be another way, they have wondered through the ages? But naturally, if it’s a tragedy, the end has to be tragic.
The comic what-if fantasy musical comedy “& Juliet” imagines a re-write of “Romeo and Juliet, where Juliet survives. But it is not William Shakespeare who is re-writing his work but his long-neglected wife Anne, in this hilarious, tongue-in-cheek jukebox musical. Set in an anachronistic mixed-time period (akin to “Six,” the musical about Henry the 8th’s six wives), we see William Shakespeare (Corey Mach) as a pop star, signing autographs and smiling at his many admirers, and working to put the final touches of his latest work, “Romeo and Juliet,” when he is surprised by the arrival of his long-abandoned wife Anne Hathaway Shakespeare (Teal Wicks). And she wants to be part of his work.
Originally, my expectations for this show was low, based on the synopsis but I was delighted to find it funny, clever and smart, taking a winking approach to the pop songs sprinkled throughout, and with strong comic performances and a message about self-discovery and empowerment running under it all. The story is clever, the dialog is snappy, and the revelations that Juliet uncovers help her grow as a person, which makes to story both uplifting as well. At the same time, this a a very funny show, filled with hilarious moments, crazy characters and surprise twists.
As the musical opens, Shakespeare is preparing to read a summary of the end of “Romeo and Juliet” to his troupe of actors at the Globe theater, when his wife Anne, left behind in Stratford-upon-Avon with their two daughters, suddenly appears. Will is surprised to see Anne, and although he pretends to be pleased, it is clear he isn’t really but wants to avoid any drama.
Will reads the summary of the play’s end, and the theater troupe are all disappointed that the lovers die at the end. But Shakespeare insists that must be the ending, singing pop hit “I Want It That Way.”
That seems to be it, until Anne pipes up that she, as his wife, wants to re-write that last part, so that Juliet isn’t really dead. Nervously, Will tries to dissuade her but then to caves in, and agrees to let her re-write this play to appease her, while planning to restore it after she leaves to return home.
Anne’s rewrite send the revived Juliet (Rachel Simone Webb) on an adventure of self-discovery, where the teenager discovers life after Romeo (Daniel J. Maldonado) is more than grief – particularly when she discovers what a romeo her Romeo was, having wooed others before her.
The story alternates between Anne and Will Shakespeare’s back and forth over the play (and their problematic relationship), and Juliet’s story, with her nurse/ friend Angelique (Kathryn Allison), her gay best friend May (Nick Drake) and other “best friend” played by Anne, putting herself in the action.
Fearing for her life, Juliet and her friends flee to a distant city, where they meet big, bold nobleman Lance (Paul-Jordan Jansen) and his less-bold son Francois (Mateus Leite Cardoso). As Romeo’s exes pile up, Juliet starts to see many things in a different light. Yet, the tone is farcical and light, but as Juliet begins to live her life after Romeo, she starts to come into her own
There is plenty of silly fun, as well as the exploration of identity and self, for not just Juliet but also her friend May and other characters. All is set to a score of pop princess and boy band hits of the 1990s. But the pop tunes are delivered with a comic tongue-in-cheek sense of fun and some irony, which makes them a bit more enjoyable for those of us who don’t particularly care for that musical genre.
Those musical numbers include “I Want It That Way,” sung by Will Shakespeare when he pushes back the negative reaction on killing off the two star-crossed lovers in his play. Other tunes in the Act One include “Baby One More Time,” “Oops, I Did It Again,” and “It’s My Life.” Act Two includes “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” and “Roar,” among others.
The cast is excellent, particularly Corey Mach as the egotistical Shakespeare, continually quoting “himself” and taking bows for his brilliance. This isn’t a history-heavy show but it does add in little bit about Shakespeare’s mysterious personal life, with Anne adding a few zingers about what little is known of their lives and relationship, such as being left his “second best bed” in her husband’s will.
It all adds up to a hilarious jukebox musical comedy that plays around with rewriting Shakespeare’s romantic tragedy by creating a fantasy life for Juliet on her own, a tale that proves both funny and empowering. “& Juliet” is on stage at the Fabulous Fox through June 1, 2025.
© Cate Marquis
