& Juliet – Regent Theatre – to 17th May
Written by Hitmix Local News on 13 May 2025
Photo credit Matt Crockett
The opening night on this West End show which is currently undertaking its first UK Tour was filled with anticipation. I, along with several others, were not sure what to expect. However, this show was an absolute delight. From entering the theatre, the set was visible, and artists began to slowly appear on stage, waving at the audience drawing them in instantly.
The show is a twist on what would be an alternative ending to the tragedy Romeo and Juliet. This is brought about by a discussion between William Shakespeare (played by Jay McGuiness of boyband The Wanted fame and winner of Strictly Come Dancing 2015) and his wife Anne Hathaway (played by Lara Denning who has an amazing and powerful voice and brought a comedic element to the role). Anne thought the original ending was too dark and wanted Juliet to live, this led to disagreements between the two set to the performance of Back Street Boys, I Want it That Way, much to the amusement of the audience.
The fusion of the classic tale’s characters with modern music, originally hits by the likes of Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, Katie Perry and Bon Jovi plus many more was seamlessly done perfectly aligning with the story and script.
The story is written in real time between Will and Anne with some conflict but sees Juliet (played by Gerardine Sacdalan who’s tiny stature on stage belies the powerful range of her voice, she is a little miss dynamite) live on following Romeo’s suicide and seek out a new life that takes her to Paris with her nurse Angelique (hilariously played by Sandra Marvin) and best friend May (played by Jordan Broatch). Here they meet Lance Du Boir (Lee Latchford-Evans of Steps fame) and his son Francois (Kyle Cox) where love takes an unexpected turn.
The singing and dancing were spot on by all the cast showcasing some amazing singing voices (sadly we didn’t get to see Jay’s dancing skills), giving a vibrant and fun show (with some serious moments) which delighted the audience right down to the golden confetti falling on all from the ceiling at the climax.
I wasn’t sure what to expect but I came away delighted and fully entertained and highly recommend this show which runs until Saturday 17th May