Verdict: Four stars.
What if Juliet didn’t die?
It is one bold move to reimagine the plot of one of the greatest love stories of all time.
But it is a plot twist that works beautifully in the Max Martin jukebox musical & Juliet.
The show inspired by the story of Romeo and Juliet kicked off its Glasgow King’s Theatre run this week, five years after it premiered in Manchester Opera House.
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Starring former X Factor Matt Cardle as Shakespeare, this musical is everything we love about the famous poet with a slight tweak of the plot.
The audience meets Juliet (Psalms-Nissi Myers-Reid) the moment after she learns of Romeo's (Jack Danson) death.
But this sassy Juliet isn’t following her lover's fate thanks to an intervention by Shakespeare's wife Anne Hathaway (Lara Denning) who simply questions why does Juliet have to die?
And from this point, we are given a new story and a pop music masterclass thanks to the genius of Max Martin.
The Swedish producer and songwriter cleverly weaves his hit songs into the new plot based on the David West Read book with Britney Spears' Baby One More Time, Celine Dion's That's The Way It Is and Backstreet Boys' I Want It That Way just the tip of the musical offering.
Perhaps taking inspiration from Mamma Mia! which uses Abba's hits against a backdrop of a new story, this show cleverly makes use of the lyrics in the same way to drive through the narrative - and it proves to be hilarious.
& Juliet is stylish with a modern take on Tudor costume. The musical retains its period drama elements but is authentically modern at the same time. That contemporary spin is delivered through street dance choreography which works well with the songs and leaves you tapping your toes throughout.
What this show does is recognise the talent of one of pop music's greatest producers. Max Martin is someone in the background who has helped drive pop culture throughout the nineties and noughties delivering hit after hit for some of music's biggest names.
Yet producers aren't always celebrated because they are behind the scenes and this show reminds you of their importance and the significant contribution they have made to music.
You will smile, singalong, and laugh out loud at the silliness of & Juliet.
Catch & Juliet at the King's Theatre until Saturday, August 24.
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