‘& Juliet' at Bass Hall gives new twist to Shakespeare classic
We all know the Shakespeare classic “Romeo & Juliet” and one of the most tragic endings ever to a love story.
Or do we?
Imagine, if you will, that Juliet had a change of heart and did not die by suicide with Romeo. Sure, their love was forbidden by the feuding of their families and all, but was it really worth ending their young lives over?
Not according to the story in “& Juliet,” the latest in Performing Arts Fort Worth’s Broadway at the Bass Series. The jukebox musical is at Bass Hall through Nov. 16.
Written by David West Read, an Emmy Award winner for his genius work on the masterful TV series “Schitt’s Creek,” “& Juliet” provides a zesty new twist on what history has labeled the greatest love story ever told. And it does so with a fiery mix of humor, uptempo music, sparkling choreography and a performance by 18-year-old Fabioloa Caraballo Quijada as Juliet in her first professional role that indicates a fabulous future in the spotlight.
But where would the idea for such a change in Shakespeare’s play come from? Why, his wife, Anne Hathaway (not the actress — that was actually his wife’s real name, but naturally that topic is broached in the show).
Things begin with Hathaway (Crystal Kellogg) visiting from Stratford-Upon-Avon to see the debut of her husband’s new show. William (CJ Eldred) is soaking in all the adoration, even opening with the show’s first musical number, “Larger Than Life.”
A groupie even shouts to him, “I’m obsessed with you Shakespeare!”
However, Anne isn’t completely happy with the show. She suggests that William make some changes — which, of course, he vehemently disagrees with, leading us to the second Backstreet Boys cover, their great hit, “I Want It That Way” — a recurring theme number.
However, being a dutiful husband, he hears his wife out. Her suggested alterations begin with Juliet waking up from having taken a sleep potion to find Romeo dead of real poisoning because he thought she was dead.
But instead of following the original script in which Juliet then kills herself with a dagger, she comes to a different decision. As Anne later says, “She’s only had one boyfriend. She doesn’t have to kill herself just because he killed himself.”
So Juliet doesn’t — which sets the story in a whole new direction. We find ourselves watching Anne and William rewrite the classic before our eyes, each stealing a host of scenes in the process with delightful over-the-top performances.
Furthermore, at his funeral, Juliet learns that Romeo was quite the playboy and had a host of other relationships — not just with other females. Though she is only 13 and he’s slightly older, but still a teenager — let’s just say he learned to get around early in life.
“He used to come to my balcony all the time,” one of his female mourners proclaims.
Continuing the changes, Juliet’s parents want to send her to a convent. Instead, she is rescued by her friends, the gender fluid May (Nico Ochoa), her nurse Angelique (Kathryn Allison) — oh, and Anne even puts herself in the show as one of Juliet’s friends named April.
If you haven’t figured it out by now, suspension of disbelief is a must for this show.
But Juliet isn’t finished with complicated love. After ending up in France, she encounters Francois (Noah Marlowe), who has been told by his father (Paul Jordan Jansen) that he must either marry or join the Army —neither of which is to Francois’ liking.
It gets even juicier and funnier as the world of splendor Juliet was looking for turns out to have a whole new batch of emotional challenges.
When Romeo (Joseph Torres playing his best airhead boy toy) re-enters the story — yep, he didn’t really die — things get really charged up. Likewise in “real life” as Anne learns Romeo was written back in while she was out of the room and accuses her husband of caring more about his writings than of his family.
The secret feelings May and Francois share are brought forth in their peppy duet of Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl” (with the word boy substituted in some places). But Francois is promised to Juliet and doesn’t think his father would understand where his true feelings lie — remember the time in history when all of this was taking place (but then, Shakespeare did have men playing the role of women in actuality).
Meanwhile, Juliet finds herself battling old feelings for Romeo. They were together for four whole days, after all.
Also unlike his real play, it all works out happily, but not before a few head spins and a lot of belly laughs. There are also enough emotional moments to move the “heart of hearts” — one of numerous expressions Shakespeare reminds us was created by him.
It’s all buoyed by a playlist of iconic pop anthems from Max Martin, the writer of 28 No. 1 hit songs in the “Billboard Hot 100.” Only Paul McCartney has written more “Billboard Hot 100” No. 1 singles with 32.
A host of those songs that made Martin a legend are featured in this production, including Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone‚” Spears’ “Baby One More Time” and “Oops I Did It Again,” along with Perry’s “Roar” all performed dynamically by Quijada.
The show’s one original song, “One More Try,” which Martin co-wrote with Ilya Salmanzadeh, David West Read, and Peter Svensson, is touching number by Quijada and Torres in a moment of vulnerability between their characters.
The show features a strong message of openness and acceptance, solidified by independence. Life will take many interesting turns, and things we’ve taken for granted — even legendary works of art — must be open to different views.
It’s also OK to ask “what if....?” No story is untouchable to the imagination.