&Juliet is at the New Victoria Theatre in Woking for a limited run March – and it’s the hottest ticket in town. Here’s everything you need to know about this mega West End musical.

Are you ready to be entertained? This production of the Olivier Award-winning &Juliet takes you on a fabulous journey as Juliet ditches her tragic Shakespearean ending for a new beginning and a second chance at life… and love.

So you mean, there’s life after Romeo for the love-struck Juliet?

Oh yes, there is. This hilarious jukebox musical flips the script on the greatest love story ever told and asks, what would happen if Juliet didn’t end it all over Romeo?

&Juliet picks up where Shakepeare’s play left off. The Bard himself is writing the ending to Romeo & Juliet when his wife Anne Hathaway persuades him to create a more uplifting story. And so, Shakespeare’s play gets an uplifting girl-power makeover. Instead of downing the fatal potion, Juliet goes on a trip to Paris.

And it’s hilarious you say?

Hell yeah! David West Read is the writer and creator – he’s the Emmy Award-winning writer of acclaimed comedy series Schitt’s Creek starring Dan and Eugene Levy, and Catherine O’Hara. Need we say more? It’s witty, playful, tongue-in-cheek and brilliantly camp.

What about the songs?

The musical’s 30-odd songs were all written by one man: Swedish pop powerhouse Max Martin. And anyone who’s been anywhere near planet earth in the last few decades will be familiar with them all. Think Britney Spear’s
Oops!…I Did It Again, Katy Perry’s Roar and Backstreet Boys’s I Want it That Way. There are also songs by Céline Dion, Demi Lovato, P!nk, Justin Timberlake, Ellie Goulding, Kelly Clarkson, Bon Jovi… and more.

What a mix!

It really is. The story of &Juliet was actually written around the songs. If you like you theatre rammed with musical hits, you’ll be in heaven here.

So who’s belting out these tunes?

The role of Shakespeare goes to Jay McGuiness. You might know him as the lead singer in boyband The Wanted. Or, maybe his time on Strictly is more memorable. In 2015, he lifted the glitterball with partner with Aliona Vilani. More recently he’s been treading the West End boards, starring in 2:22 A Ghost Story, Big!, and Sleepless, the Musical.

Gerardine Sacdalan is Juliet, who by all accounts belts out the tunes in a strong, flawless voice. Sandra Marvin, ex-Emmerdale actress and now a regular on West End performer plays Angelique, the nurse. She’s been said to steal the show with her soulful powerful voice.

Any other stars we might know?

You’ll probably recognise Noughties popstar Lee Latchford-Evans of Steps fame. In &Juliet, he plays Lance, a French nobleman and the love interest of Angelique. Following? Don’t worry… you will!

So if &Juliet is that good, has it won any gongs?

It sure has! In 2020 &Juliet won the Laurence Olivier awards for Best New Musical, Best Score, Best Orchestrations and Best Actress in a Musical, which went to Miriam-Teak Lee for her role as Juliet.

Anything else?

You can read Muddy’s review of &Juliet on stage in Oxford in September 2024, starring Gerardine Sacdalan is Juliet, Sandra Marvin as Angelique, and Matt Cardle as Shakespeare.

&Juliet is at the New Victoria Theatre in Woking from Tues 11 – Sat 15 March.