& JULIET 2022 REVIEW
SHAFTESBURY THEATRE, LONDON
FRIDAY 22ND APRIL 2022 @ 2.30PM
***** 5/5
Another return to a show I loved pre-lockdown, & Juliet. I’ve previously reviewed the show but since then, there have been some cast changes recently so I’m excited to see those. Friday matinees are rare so I always try to get to one if I can! Let’s crack on with my & Juliet 2022 review then.
PRE-SHOW THOUGHTS
If you love 90s/00s pop music as much as I do, this is the show for you. There are so many hits that Max Martin has made that not all of them even fit into the show! I’m also a big fan of female-led and empowerment shows so & Juliet is right up my street. It’s incredibly funny too but because it’s been a while, I couldn’t remember just how funny it was!
THE CAST
Can we start by saying I got to see a superstar debut? Zara Macintosh played Juliet at this show and I didn’t even know until & Juliet fanatic, Shona, told me on Instagram! That means in two visits to the show, I’ve seen two ex-Six alums (Grace Mouat on my first) as Juliet and both smashed it. I’m always in awe of how swings and alternates manage to be flawless in more than one role and Zara was phenomenal as Juliet. Her vocals were sublime, hitting all notes in every ballad and faster track, with flawless dance moves to boot too!
Oliver Tompsett and Cassidy Janson as William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway will always be one of my favourite couples in any show. They’re so hilarious together and their chemistry is so genuine. Considering they’ve been with the show since the beginning, I imagine they must enjoy playing opposite each other! I’m always surprised by Tompsett’s dance moves for some reason! Janson’s voice is also one of my favourites and I love to see her in a comedic role.
Having previously seen the alternate Alex Tranter as Romeo, I was thrilled to see Tom Francis as the new Romeo, having taken over from Jordan Luke Cage in March. His vocals are really rocky and he definitely has the young, naive but charming character sewn up. I found Francis to be refreshing in the role and hope to see more of him as a West End leading man.
THE CAST PART 2
Alex Thomas-Smith as May and Tim Mahendran as Francois are both a delight and we love representation on a West End stage! My only problem is that we don’t get to explore their relationship a little deeper through the show but then it would probably add an extra half an hour onto the duration! Both of them have contrasting voices, with Thomas-Smith having a softer tone and Mahendran having a stronger, rocky voice. His rendition of I Kissed A Girl really reminded me of Danny from McFly! However, they both compliment each other and make a beautiful couple in the end (spoiler alert)!
Rounding off the cast are Julius D’Silva as Lance and Cassandra Lee as Nurse. Both are new to the cast, joining in March, with Lee the new cover for Nurse to Keala Settle. Once again, I found their chemistry to be real but I could’ve sworn they used to have longer on stage together! Both of these roles are incredibly funny and must be a real joy to play!
THE PRODUCTION
Another special mention has to go to the cast of players, the ensemble! Each of them manages to sing, dance, act and be stagehands during this production. It’s a high energy show and not once do any of them falter.
Arguably the best part of & Juliet has to be the music. It’s a who’s who of the pop charts from my childhood. Although I do not appreciate the younger audience members calling the songs old or retro! I am neither and my childhood was not that long ago! Anyway, it’s a treat for the ears to hear these songs in a more theatrical setting.
The set itself is one of my favourites in the West End with its full-size signs on stage. Every piece of the set feels old-fashioned yet modern at the same time, which I realise is a massive oxymoron. My point is even though some of the items are contemporary, they wouldn’t look out of place in the olden days if you get what I mean!
FINAL THOUGHTS
& Juliet is always a show I recommend to anyone who tells me they love musicals. It’s such an upbeat modern show all about female empowerment and finding your own way. This cast is always so full of energy and they barely stop moving in the two and a half hours it’s on stage!
If you enjoyed this & Juliet 2022 review, check out my other theatre reviews here. You can also follow along with my stagey adventures on Twitter and Instagram too.
