& Juliet musical: What if there is life after Romeo?

It’s hard to imagine how you can take a 400-year-old love story, mix in some potentially cheesy pop anthems, add potentially cheesy costumes, toss in some potentially cheesy dialogue and dance moves, and even a potentially cheesy 90s boy band revival… and yet, unexpectedly, end up with a jukebox musical that’s simultaneously entertaining and empowering.

After thrilling audiences at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London’s West End from 2019 to 2023 and on Broadway, where it is currently playing at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, the Olivier and WhatsOnStage Award-winning and Tony Award-nominated musical & JULIET arrived at New Theatre Oxford as part of a UK tour that started in July.

Romeo and Juliet is a tragic love story by William Shakespeare set in Verona, Italy. It follows the intense and ill-fated romance between two young lovers, Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet, who come from feuding families. Despite their families’s enmity, they marry in secret, hoping to unite them.

However, a series of misunderstandings and unfortunate events, including the deaths of Romeo’s friend Mercutio and Juliet’s cousin Tybalt, lead to a tragic conclusion. Believing Juliet to be dead, Romeo takes his own life, and upon awakening to find him dead, Juliet does the same… well, not really!

& JULIET’s concept is simple and brilliantly effective! What if Juliet didn’t die? What if Juliet had a life after Romeo? What if Romeo was only the beginning of her story? What if Juliet had the power to make her own decisions?

A love story; reimagined

Get whisked away on a fabulous journey as Juliet ditches her famous ending for a fresh beginning and a second chance at life and love – her way. Created by the Emmy-winning writer from “Schitt’s Creek,” this hilarious new musical flips the script on the greatest love story ever told and asks, what would happen next if Juliet didn’t end it all over Romeo?

A beautiful feminist twist on the original Shakespeare play

Juliet’s new story bursts to life through a playlist of pop anthems as iconic as her name, including Britney Spears’ “…Baby One More Time,” Katy Perry’s “Roar” and chart toppers “Since U Been Gone,” “It’s My Life,” “I Want It That Way,” and “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” – all from Max Martin, the genius songwriter/producer behind more #1 hits than any other artist this century, and his collaborators.

A global sensation

& JULIET musical is a global success with the smash-hit Broadway production, breaking box office records and entering its second year in November 2023 and a US tour set to embark in September 2024. The musical premiered in North America, with the pre-Broadway production opening at the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto in 2022.

The Australian production opened in Melbourne in February 2023 before heading to Marina Bay Sands in Singapore this summer. It returned to Australia last December, opening in Perth before heading to Sydney in February.

& JULIET musical is directed by Luke Sheppard (In the Heights, Rent, Little Big Things), with a Book by David West Read (Schitt’s Creek), choreography by Jennifer Weber and set design by Soutra Gilmour.

Music is by Max Martin & Friends, costume design by Paloma Young, musical supervision, orchestration and arrangements by Bill Sherman, lighting design by Howard Hudson, sound design by Gareth Owen, video & projection design by Andrzej Goulding, hair, wig and makeup design by Suzy Barrett, musical direction, additional arrangements and orchestrations by Dominic Fallacaro, and casting direction by Stuart Burt.

& JULIET musical is presented by Max Martin and Tim Headington and is produced by Max Martin, Tim Headington, Theresa Steele Page, Jenny Petersson, Martin Dodd and Rebecca Quigley.

So break free of the balcony scene and get into this romantic comedy that proves there’s life after Romeo. Treat yourself to a good time – the only thing tragic would be missing it.