& Juliet Reviews at The Regent Theatre in Stoke-on-Trent
[Ad-gifted] Oops! We did it Again, its another theatre review and trust me, it can’t get as exciting as this!
& Juliet the jukebox stage musical has finally arrived at The Regent Theatre in Stoke-on-Trent and we were invited to review the show.
Based on the book by David West, & Juliet follows the story of Juliet from Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet and looks at the possibility of what if she decides not to end her life after Romeo’s death. She decides to go on a journey of self-discovery with two friends and her nurse to Paris as she’s discovered that Romeo was a bit of a lady’s man. This is not your ordinary play as both Shakespeare and his wife, Anne Hathaway are also thrown into the play with them narrating how the story should be rewritten, making it exciting and unpredictable. Don’t worry, there are plenty of Shakespeare quotes as well as references from Romeo and Juliet to connect the two stories.
This romantic comedy also features numerous pop songs written by the Swedish songwriter Max Martin which makes the production relatable to both the older generation as well as the younger teenagers. Expect iconic tunes such as Larger Than Life, …Baby One More Time, Its My Life, Since You Been Gone, Love Me Like You Do and Roar amongst other fantastic numbers.
So how will the story end? Is there really life after Romeo and will she find her true love in the end? Keep on reading to find out.
What did I think of & Juliet Reviews ?
As huge fans of Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway, we love Stratford-Upon- Avon and have visited the family homes of Shakespeare and Anne. Hence, I totally loved how the play was often interrupted by both Shakespeare as well as Anne as they changed each scene to suit their liking and compare it to their own lives.
To me, the play was a breath of fresh air as it also opened up the possibility of changing the tragic ending of Romeo & Juliet from tragedy into into something more joyous.
Without giving too much away about the plot, the play opens up with the cast singing and dancing to Larger Than Life. Next, Shakespeare (played by Jay McGuiness) shares with his wife Anne Hathaway (played by Lara Denning) about his new play called Romeo and Juliet. Anne decides that the play should have a different ending and they both break into Backstreet Boy’s song, I Want it That Way.
If you are unaware, Jay is a British singer and songwriter from the boy band The Wanted. His voice control and acting skills were mesmerising and kept the audience wanting more. Both Jay and Lara have such strong vocals and are stars in their own right, their rendition of the song was just pure joy to listen to and reassured me that the show was going to be a fantastic one. I also loved Lara‘s emotional version of Celine Dion‘s That’s the Way It Is which was just pure joy to listen to.
Juliet is played by the ever talented Gerardine Sacdalan and is portrayed as a strong woman who wakes up and decides to move on with her life and create her own destiny. Gerardine is not only a fantastic dancer, but sings each number with conviction. My favourite songs has to be Since You’ve been Gone and Roar. The play is also inclusive with the inclusion of May’s genderqueer character, Juliet’s best friend, played by Jordan Broatch.
I am a huge fan of Lee Latchford-Evans who is a member of the British dance pop-band Steps, and he plays Lance. To be honest, I have seen him sing and dance but never in a theatre production, so was blown away by his charisma and funny portrayal of Lance. His comedy timing and chemistry with Angelique played by Sandra Marvin was exceptional! They both kept the audience in hysterics of laughter and Lee‘s French accent would definitely give Fred Sirieix a run for his money.
Huge shout out to Jennifer Weber who did an amazing job with the Choreography of all the dance numbers, as they were performed effortlessly and in sync by the ensemble.
This is one empowering show especially for the young, to remind them to follow their destiny and to find people who celebrate and accept them for who they are. I would certainly recommend taking your teen to the show and trust me, you will have a ball too as I went with my 14 year-old daughter and we both loved it! My daughter enjoyed the singing as well as dancing and also learnt a bit more about Shakespeare and Anne in the process. She said that, “This was the best interpretation of Romeo & Juliet so far!”.
So, I will leave you in Shakespeare’s own words, If music be the food of love, play on!
Cast
William Shakespeare Jay McGuiness
Juliet Gerardine Sacdalan
Anne Lara Denning
Angelique Sandra Marvin
May Jordan Broatch
Francois Kyle Cox
Romeo Benjamin Jackson Walker
Lance Lee Latchford-Evans
Eleanor Harriet Caplan-Dean
Lennox Alexander Kranz
Augustine, Swing, Dance Team Andile Mabhena
Richard Liam Morris
Lucy alt Juliet Psalms-Nissi Myers-Reid
Henry Michael Nelson
Violet Toni Paise
Nell & Lady C Anne Katie Ramshaw
Gregory, Swing, Dance Team Aaron Shales
Judith Rosie Singha
Imogen Nia Stephen
Off Stage Swing, Resident Director /Dance Captain & Lance Samuel Wilson-Freeman
Off Stage Swing Joe Wolstenholme
Creatives
Book David West
Directed Luke Sheppard
Music & Lyrics Max Martin & Friends
Choreography Jennifer Weber
Set Designer Soutra Gilmour
Costume Designer Paloma Young
Lighting Designer Howard Hudson
Sound Designer Gareth Owen
How much are the tickets?
Tickets are priced from £13 to £79. For Groups (10 or more), call their dedicated Groups team on 020 7206 1174 or email groupsales@atgtickets.com. A transaction charge applies to online/phone bookings. Age guidance: 8+ with some adult language. Please note that this production features flashing lights and loud noises.
How do I book tickets to watch & Juliet?
Tickets are now on sale online by visiting ATG’s website here.
How long is the show for and what are the timings?
The show will be running until Saturday, 17 May 2025. The show duration is 2 hours and 30 minutes including interval with performance at 7.30 everyday with matinee shows at 2.30 on Wed and Saturday.
About Regent Theatre
The Regent Theatre is a theatre in Stoke-on-Trent, England. Constructed in 1929 as a cinema, it is one of several theatres in the city centre and one of two owned by the Ambassador Theatre Group. The building was converted for full-time use as a theatre in 1999, and since then has hosted a number of shows and musicals. The theatre is also the northern base for the Glyndebourne Touring Opera.
Tips / Information
- Ample public car park spaces are available near to the Regent Theatre. The nearby John Street car park is the closest and it closes at 11.30pm while the Pottery Centre carpark charges a fixed rate of £1.50 (after 6pm) and this carpark closes at 11pm
- Accessibility: On arrival at the theatre there are nine steps leading from the front doors to the foyer. There is a small lift suitable for wheelchairs and buggies
- There is lift access to all levels from the foyer (with an audible announcer)
- There is an infra-red sound enhancement system in the auditorium
- Guide, hearing and other working dogs are welcome in all parts of the theatre, and water is provided for them on request
- Accessible toilets are available
You may also want to read this:
Photo Credit: Regent Theatre/Mark Crockett
* We were provided with press tickets in exchange for a review. All opinions are our own.
