& Juliet

& Juliet is a pop-fuelled reimagining of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet that asks a simple question: what if Juliet had survived?

Instead of meeting the tragic fate written for her, Juliet sets out on a new life beyond Romeo, travelling to Paris with her friends and discovering romance, freedom and the chance to decide her own future.

The musical uses the songs of Swedish songwriter and producer Max Martin, whose catalogue includes major pop hits made famous by artists such as Britney Spears, the Backstreet Boys and Katy Perry. Rather than simply presenting the songs as a concert, the show places them within the story, using familiar lyrics to drive the plot and give Shakespeare’s characters a modern voice.

The book is by David West Read, with direction by Luke Sheppard and choreography by Jennifer Weber. Soutra Gilmour designed the scenery, Paloma Young the costumes, Howard Hudson the lighting and Gareth Owen the sound. Bill Sherman created the musical arrangements and orchestrations, with additional orchestrations by Dominic Fallacaro.

& Juliet began life in Manchester in 2019 before transferring to London’s West End. Following a North American premiere in Toronto, the Broadway production opened at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre on November 17, 2022. Its Broadway arrival brought the show nine Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical and Best Choreography. The earlier West End production also received nine Olivier Award nominations and won three, helping establish & Juliet as one of the most successful modern jukebox musicals.