Encore Broadway’s production of “& Juliet,” playing until Jan. 12 at the Fox Theatre, is a lively romp that explores the many manifestations of love told through the lens of peppy pop-culture hits.
From “Larger than Life” to “Oops I did it Again,” the familiar tunes take on new meanings that are both hilarious and insightful, as the cast, led by the talented Rachel Simone Webb as Juliet, flips the script on the tragic ending to “Romeo & Juliet.”
The jukebox musical opens with William Shakespeare (Corey Mach) and his wife, Anne Hathaway (Teal Wicks), discussing whether Juliet should follow Romeo into the afterworld, or an alternative ending that would allow the heroine to choose life and all that entails.
The exchanges between the two are filled with inside “Shakespearean” jokes (most of which the audience caught), and result in the Bard begrudging handing over the quill to his wife (albeit, not permanently).
Anne launches Juliet into a cross-country odyssey from Verona to Paris, accompanied by her nurse, Angelique (Kathryn Allison), best friend May (Nick Drake), and Anne, having written herself into the play as Juliet’s good friend.
Juliet meets the nerdy Franciois (Mateus Leite Cardoso), who is more interested in May than her, but straining under pressure from his father Lance (Paul-Jordan Jansen) to settle down with a wife.
Then Romeo (Michael Canu) turns up alive, in the tit-for-tat battle between Shakespeare and Anne, as there weren’t enough love triangles (and quadrangles) in play already.
While the songs that are original to the play were entertaining and beautifully choreographed, the performances involving 80s- and 90s-favorites like “Roar,” “It’s Gonna be Me,” and “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” truly engaged the audience (yes, there was dancing in the aisles at the end).
While it’s obvious that “& Juliet,” even with the plot twists inserted by Will and Anne as they battle for creative control, will have a happy ending, it didn’t detract from the absolute pleasure of getting there.
“& Juliet” is playing at the Fox Theatre through Jan. 12. Limited tickets are still available.
