Toronto audiences will witness the tragic Romeo & Juliet turned upside down by a simple question:
What if Juliet didn’t die?
Mirvish’s opening Canadian matinee performance of the dazzling jukebox musical & Juliet, featuring ’90s hit songs, offers an incredible afternoon or evening of entertainment at the theatre, effectively answering that question.
The story picks up where Shakespeare’s classic play leaves off, placing the characters in a new narrative. While Shakespeare (an endearing and narcissistic George Krissa) writes the ending as audiences remember it — with Romeo and Juliet dead — his wife, Anne Hathaway (a soaring solo performance by Julia McLellan), reads it and dislikes that the young couple dies. Anne suggests a new plot where Juliet survives. Set in real time, Anne periodically pauses the story’s action to discuss plot points with her husband, sometimes vociferously.
In the story Anne envisions, Juliet (Vanessa Sears) does not stab herself when she wakes up after taking the sleeping potion. Instead, she gathers her friends, and they all travel to Paris, where the young heroine can start a new life. Those accompanying her include her Nurse from the original story, now named Angelique (a sassy Sarah Nairne); her non-binary friend May (a well-grounded performance by Matt Rafay); and Anne herself, who also inserts herself into the play by portraying April, one of Juliet’s friends.
As the story unfolds in Paris, more characters are introduced, ranging from Angelique’s former lover, Lance (David Silvestri), his son, François (Brandon Antonio), and the ‘sudden’ return of Juliet’s former four-day flame, Romeo (David Jeffery).
The opening matinee production remains a stunning visual spectacle. The on-stage jukebox playing 90s songs during the pre-show as the audience enters is a nice touch. Soutra Gilmour’s bright pastel scenic design, beautifully lit by Howard Hudson, is so vibrant that I wondered if I should grab my sunglasses. Paloma Young’s shoulder-padded, floral clothing designs, combined with J. Jared Janas’s big-hair styles, evoke a strong 90s look. Andrzej Goulding’s video designs strikingly complement the visual aesthetic, adding context where needed.
Gareth Owen’s sound design strikes the perfect balance between the orchestra and the singers. Clearly, the lyrics can be heard during solos and duets. Now, in full company numbers, it’s not always possible to listen to every word, but that’s just a minor quibble since the audience seems to know the lyrics already. Several people sitting near me are quietly mouthing the words. I’ll be honest and say I was hearing the lyrics in my mind alongside the choral numbers playing out front.
Jennifer Weber’s choreography becomes jaw-droppingly spectacular in its uniformity, with sharp, deliberate movements – two memorable ensemble dance numbers are ‘It’s My Life’ and ‘Roar’. Music Director Elizabeth Baird takes Bill Sherman’s solid orchestrations and arrangements to craft powerful, raw, and emotional vocals that produce glorious sounds resonating throughout the Royal Alex auditorium: ‘Since U Been Gone’ and ‘That’s the Way It Is.’
Whenever I hear the term ‘jukebox musical,’ I often wonder how much original thought has gone into creating a live musical work of art. Director Luke Sheppard definitely alleviates those concerns. His use of juxtaposing classic literature with a modern setting works well for twenty-first-century audiences.
While he envisions Bill Sherman’s musical supervision to sound excellent, Sheppard intentionally wants the audience to enjoy these classic tunes once more. He doesn’t take the story seriously at all. There are moments when he has some cast members break the fourth wall, giving the audience a knowing wink, reminding them that it’s all about having fun and laughing.
The performances benefit from Sheppard’s clear vision and remain outstanding throughout, from hilarious comic moments to proud-to-be-alive scenes.
David Silvestri’s over-the-top, French-accented, Count Chocula-esque sounding Lance delivers some well-timed comic moments. There’s a remark about the use of accents and why the actors are choosing to do them. Silvestri turns to break the fourth wall with a knowing wink, acknowledging that his accent isn’t perfect. But he’s having fun with it. Julia McLellan, at one point, also breaks the fourth wall in Act 2 with such an exasperated look that it made me laugh out loud. George Krissa’s William Shakespeare and David Jeffery’s Romeo are both hilariously narcissistic in their introductions, turning to the audience for approval of their individual behaviours.
These four knowingly understand the subtle humour in David West Read’s clever book. Their characters develop into respectable individuals, especially as Lance recognizes his son François’s growing attraction to Juliet’s non-binary friend, May. Strong performances by Brandon Antonio and Matt Raffy effectively portray sympathetic personalities in their respective roles. George Krissa and David Jeffery, thankfully, do not remain superficial narcissists but become responsible men who need to consider perspectives outside their own when dealing with two of the most important people in their lives – their potential wives. Ironically, it is the genuine relationship between Antonio’s François and Raffy’s May that serves as the benchmark for Jeffery’s Romeo and Krissa’s Shakespeare.
The two reasons to see this production are Vanessa Sears’ Juliet and Julia McLellan’s Anne. They provide strong enough evidence to consider that Juliet does not have to take the course of action she does in the original text.
Along with being electrifying performers capable of belting out tunes, Sears and McLellan understand how to convey a story purely through their lyrics and dialogue. Through their interactions and dealings with their temperamental lovers, their respective Juliet and Anne are allowed to live life on their own terms and stand their ground in front of Romeo and William without flinching or cowering. The final song of the evening beautifully captures this sentiment regarding Juliet and Anne: “I am the champion, and you’re gonna hear me roar.”
While the message of girl power and women’s empowerment is not new to the theatre world, delivering it with immense vitality and strength can leave the audience breathless, intoxicated, and captivated.
That’s precisely what this opening matinee of & Juliet does for the audience. That’s why she doesn’t need to die.
Many smiles around me during the intermission and at the end.
Please see it.
Running time: approximately two hours and 40 minutes with one interval/intermission.
The production runs to July 5, 2026, at the Royal Alexandra Theatre, 260 King Street West, Toronto. For tickets: mirvish.com or call 1-800-461-3333.
MIRVISH PRODUCTION by special arrangement with Juliet Broadway LLC presents
& Juliet
Music and Lyrics by Max Martin and Friends
Book by David West Read
Director: Luke Sheppard
Choreographer: Jennifer Weber
Music Supervisor, Orchestrator and Arrangements: Bill Sherman
Music Director: Elizabeth Baird
Scenic Designer: Soutra Gilmour
Costume Designer: Paloma Young
Lighting Designer: Howard Hudson
Sound Designer: Gareth Owen
Video Designer: Andrzej Goulding
Hair and Makeup Designer: J. Jared Janas
Performers: Vanessa Sears, David Silvestri, Julia McLellan, George Krissa, Matt Raffy, Sarah Nairne, David Jeffery, Brandon Antonio, Sam Boucher, Mariah Campos Celete Catena, Elysia Cruz, Saccha Dennis, Ryder Nick Desaulnier, Emry Harland, Taran Kim, Jade Kimaya, Caitlyn Macinnis, Eric Martin, Stewart Adam McKensy, Patrick Park, Adam Sergison, McKenna Warwick, Tiera Lee Watts
