& Juliet at the Cliffs Pavilion Review by Lynn Carroll

May 7, 2025

I have come to the conclusion that I am a purist and with that in mind I will be honest and admit that I do not like anyone messing with Shakespeare. The limit of my acceptance would be modern speech so the youth of today could more easily understand his plays and dialogue.

However, I also like to think of myself as an oldie who tries to keep up with our progressive and ever changing society, albeit it very difficult at times. I sometimes feel humankind is running out of new ideas so rehashing old ones, especially those that get the desired reaction, is a very modern concept and does not always work. My mind, rightly or wrongly, is closed to the concept of any actor playing any part especially in factual theatre where, for example, a woman plays a man’s role and vice versa. That was thankfully not the case in this production although I do find the current penchant for always putting a female character at the heart of things not an entirely agreeable one.

So, having got some slight negativity out of the way let me concentrate on the positive. Even though I cannot truthfully say I loved this musical I know I am in the minority. You may say a minority of one as 1,613 people out of a seating capacity of 1,614 appeared to enjoy the show tremendously. There was lots of humour (and yes I did laugh) and I also found myself tapping my feet to the beat of modern songs belted out on stage. The audience cheered, laughed and applauded spontaneously throughout and the final stand up applause finally put me in my place when I could be in no doubt as to the popularity of &Juliet.

I don’t like to know too much about a show I have not seen or heard of, this ensures a lack of bias on my part. In this case I probably should have done my due diligence as it took half the show for me to get into this re-telling of the Romeo and Juliet tragedy. In fact, it was so far from the original story that I quite early on gave up on any comparison with Shakespeare’s version. I could almost imagine him sitting at his desk, quill in hand, with a tear or two rolling down his cheek.

As is always the case in all the shows I have been privileged to see at The Cliffs, the on stage talent was amazing: Great comedic timing, amazing and talented song and dance routines and a mishmash of costumes with a nod to both past and present modes of dress.

A further quirk was the inclusion of Shakespeare and his wife, Anne Hathaway, acting alongside the rest of the cast as they argued, sometimes heatedly, as to how the play should be re-written. This, of course was based on the supposition that neither Romeo nor Juliet actually die at the end of Shakespeare’s version of the play. It set me wondering as to whether any other of his plays could be adapted, maybe Richard III escaping Bosworth Field after giving his horse and crown to a lowly soldier? I rather like the idea of Henry V coming back to haunt Catherine of Valois and her second husband, Owen Tudor!

But that aside, if I learned anything at all from this production it is that I need to be far more open minded when it comes to theatre, though I fear it may be too late to teach this old dog new tricks. In spite of this I would heartily encourage you to go along as I am sure, like 1,613 others, you will enjoy it immensely. If you are not into Shakespeare that will be a plus, if you are, leave any pre-conceived ideas at the door and just enjoy it for what it is; a fun musical you will not regret leaving home for.