& Juliet combines the genius of three writing masterminds.
No, William Shakespeare didn’t write & Juliet. Unfortunately, Mr. Shakespeare passed away 406 years before & Juliet debuted on Broadway and was more than 400 years removed from the incubation period of this play.
Nonetheless, Bill (can I call him Bill?) is a household name. Nobody in the United States graduates high school without reading something he wrote. Shakespeare is the first mastermind responsible for & Juliet, as there would be no & Juliet without him.
As for the other two masterminds? It’s possible many attending the show don’t even recognize their names!
The writer of the book, David West Read, is a genius. Never heard of him? What if I told you that he’s the Emmy-winning writer of the hit television show Schitt’s Creek? (You never watched it? Watch the darn thing. You’re welcome!)
The third piece of the puzzle is pop-song author extraordinaire, Max Martin. I’m too lazy to Google it (journalism is dead anyway), but I don’t think Martin’s name has ever been on the Billboard Charts as the recording artist. As a writer? That’s a horse of a different color. The guy has written or co-written 27 #1 singles, and a plethora of other hit tunes that have helped him accumulate an estimated $260,000,000 in wealth. Highlights of his collection of #1’s include Britney Spears’ “…Baby One More Time,” Katy Perry’s “California Gurls,” and four co-writes with a young lady named Taylor Swift.
Three genius. One show. A perfect storm!
The show begins with William Shakespeare (Strongsville native Corey Mach) arguing with his wife, Anne (Teal Wicks), about the plot. Anne has some changes, but Shakespeare insists on his version by singing the stanza of the Backstreet Boys’ hit “I Want It That Way.” A clear winner of said argument prevails during the show.
Do Martin’s songs drive the story, or does DWR’s story dictate the songs? That’s up for each theater patron to decide, and could result in a similar tug-of-war the characters have at the beginning of the story.
What is not up for debate? The talent of this cast. This reviewer sees literally every major theater production that comes to Playhouse Square and has made frequent visits to New York City’s Broadway District to see handfuls of shows there, too. This cast is among the best. Granted, the smash pop hits allow their talents to shine in a more unique fashion than Broadway classics, but in no way should that detract from their top-notch vocal performances.
Rachel Simone Webb (Juliet), while distinctly different from the Britney’s and Ariana’s of the FM radio realm, has powerful pipes that rival (dare I see, in some instances, exceed) that of her half-dressed pop counterparts.
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St. Edward High School graduate Paul-Jordan Jansen manages to showcase his vocal prowess (masked in a thick, very-non-Cleveland accent), seemingly with ease.
Two more performers with Northeast Ohio roots, show-stealer Nick Drake (May) and Mateus Leite Cardoso (Francois), are graduates of Baldwin Wallace University!
For those keeping score at home, that’s FOUR connections to Northeast Ohio, winning the battle of local connections versus writing masterminds by a nose.
A+ for cast performances and the music of Martin; A++ for founding father William Shakespeare (although this writer got a wimpy B- in Literature), but the story from David West Read does fall a smidge short of expectations. Schitt’s Creek is a classic. The writing is genius. The story of & Juliet isn’t in the same class.
The basic premise of the show explores what would have happened if Juliet hadn’t killed herself at the conclusion of Shakespeare’s story (spoiler alert for those who copied a classmate’s work in 10th grade). Speaking of spoilers, “Oh, sh*t,” exclaimed Juliet, when it turns out that (former?) lover Romeo (Michael Canu) also survived and, instead of being a faithful lover, was one heckuva playboy in Verona. Without giving everything away, love stories evolve, and characters find themselves in (somewhat) comedic predicaments, with the focus of Juliet’s journey overshadowed by subplots.
Yes, the Shakespeare references and puns are incredibly clever, as are the wit and quips of portions of the dialog. The plot, while not terrible, leaves something to be desired. (Murmurs of fellow theatergoers exiting Playhouse Square’s Connor Palace Theater echoed my sentiment.) Some plot inconsistencies, elements ripped from other popular stories, and a lacking conflict/resolution slightly detract from the show. I just expected more out of DWR. However, the music is the focal point of the show, and to his credit, the story permits sensible integration of Martin’s hit songs.
The scenic design by Soutra Gilmour, which includes the use of ladders and a trap door, seamlessly blends Shakespeare’s era with modern elements. The same praise is applicable to costume designer Paloma Young. And, I would be remiss not to give a round of applause to choreographer Jennifer Weber. These three stars of the creative team are molded into a cohesive trio by award-winning director Luke Sheppard.
The four Northeast Ohioans were stars of the show, each having their moments to shine. It’s always splendid to watch performers with local roots return to the theater they have seen many shows in, only now, to star onstage.
Other highlights of the show included a powerful, hard-to-stay-in-your-seat performance of “Blow” (made famous by Kesha),”Oops! … I Did It Again” (recorded by Britney Spears), “Since U Been Gone” (charted by Kelly Clarkson) and “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back),” “– one of six BSB songs in the show.
The show ends with a clever reprise of “I Want It That Way,” bringing the show full circle before a rousing version (made famous by Justin Timberlake) of “Can’t Stop the Feeling,” where the cast brought the house down to thunderous applause before taking their final bows.
Don’t let the mixed review of the story fool thine self. This show’s dōn worth the price of admission.
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