Presented by: Northern Light Theatre Company
Reviewed: 4 October, 2025
To quote William Shakespeare, Northern Light Theatre Company’s latest production, & Juliet is ‘a hit, a very palpable hit’. For those Shakespeare purists out there, yes, I know the line is from Hamlet and not Romeo And Juliet – but it gets the message across.
The JukeBox musical & Juliet is based around the oft asked question “What if…”. In this case, David West Read (Book) asks us what if Juliet hadn’t killed herself at the end of Romeo And Juliet BUT lived. The music and lyrics are by the hit Swedish composer Max Martin, whose songs were made famous by the likes of The Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, Katy Perry, Ariana Grande and many more. The show is a marvellous mixture of Elizabethan times and the Nineties/Noughties.
It is opening night of William Shakespeare’s brand new, eagerly awaited Romeo And Juliet. The only trouble is that he has yet to write the ending, having gotten as far as Romeo killing himself. How to end it? His wife, Anne Hathaway (the original!) wants a happy ending for Juliet, and so offers to write her version, giving Juliet three best friends: the non-binary May, Juliet’s nurse, Angelique, and writing herself in as the third – and sending them off to Paris (the city, not the character) to avoid the Capulets sending Juliet to a Nunnery (better off leaving that plot line in Hamlet). Will isn’t a hundred per cent in favour of these plot changes and throws a couple of curve balls into the mix – one huge plot twist coming up!
This production under Ceri Hutton’s mastery of musicals and knowing what the public want, rocks BIG time. This is one big, energetic, high-octane show!!
Hutton knows how to pick a Production team and cast every role, major and minor, with exactly the right people. In my review of Northern’s Billy Elliot I mentioned that they needed to make sure they kept the Musical Director, Billy St John. It’s so good to see that they did. The band just soars and the harmonies emanating from the cast are bliss. Kerreane Sarti and Shenayde Patterson’s choreography could easily fit on MTV or any pop music video, it is just so vibrant and energetic. The whole cast are well drilled in the dances’ intricacies and there is not one foot out of place from anyone – and their enthusiasm and joy just washes over the audience.
Mention must be made of the costumes as designed by Hutton and Ann Humphries and constructed by Humphries, Kim Abbott and the cast. They are a joyous, eclectic mesh of Elizabethan
and Nineties/Noughties styles, and each and every one works. I want Romeo’s jacket – and keep an eye out for Lance’s codpieces (trust me, you can’t miss them).
The entire cast are a pleasure to watch and forsooth, is there talent exuding from each and every one of them.
As the non-ill-fated Juliet, Londyn Foreman sparkles and shines and her solo of Baby Just One More Time soars to the rafters of the Shedley Theatre. Robbie Breugelmans and Bec Pynor give wonderful strength and humour to Will Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway respectively. Breugelmans captures perfectly the conceit that Shakespeare probably had, especially when it comes to reminding us what phrases he gave to the English language (“That’s one of mine!”), whilst Pynor gives us a woman who is strong but feeling pushed aside because of her husband’s creative flow. But allows us to see that she still has hope. Her duet with Foreman, That’s The Way It Is is absolutely wonderful. Daniel Hamilton plays Romeo (yes, he does appear) as an ego inflated Rock Star who’s not necessarily terribly bright, and is hilarious. His rock style voice and Boy Band moves are spot on. A word of warning to any ladies sitting in the front row – careful of those hips!
Sarah Hamilton as Juliet’s nurse and friend, Angelique, is an absolute hoot and brightens the stage every time she is on it. Hers is a show stopping performance throughout the whole show. Couple her with Deon Martino-Williams as Lance (stepping into the role due to Sam Mannix being unfortunately indisposed) and there is comic gold right there! Martino-Williams plays his role as if it was his from the start of rehearsals, so confident and faultless is his performance. The bedroom scene between him and Ms Hamilton is comedy perfection.
Jake Hipkiss bravely takes on the role of non-binary May and is superb. He makes us smile while tugging at our heart strings. The role is incredibly sensitive and Hipkiss nails the emotion required one hundred per cent. His rendition of I’m Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman sung with Foreman is just beautiful. As is his duet with Bailey Edwards as Francois, Whataya Want from Me. Edwards also gives a marvelous performance as possibly Juliet’s next husband but with a love of his own (no spoilers).
& Juliet may sound heavy in parts, but the overall production is super fun and hyper-energetic. As Shakespeare once said, “If love be music, play on” (Yes, I know -also NOT from Romeo And Juliet). Oh, by the way, there is a balcony scene – of sorts.
Reviewed by Brian Godfrey
Photo credit: supplied
Venue: Shedley Theatre
Season: Until 18 October 2025
Duration: 2hr 30mins including a 20 min interval
Tickets: $24 – $40
Bookings: https://nltc.sales.ticketsearch.com/sales/salesevent/150262
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