& Juliet!

February 16th 2022

& Juliet was an experience the Queen Anne’s L6 and U6 will never forget. Boarding the bus and departing school at 4:15, the journey up to London began!

Excitement levels were high, and as we arrived we split off into separate groups and enjoyed a delicious meal out in the city! After a feast at Byron burger, we all took our seats at the busy Shaftesbury Theatre in the West End.

Act One began with a bang, a big number by none other than England’s most famous playwright, William Shakespeare. Here is where the modernised twist came in. As we all know, Romeo and Juliet traditionally ends tragically, with the star crossed lovers both dead, their families heartbroken. However, not in & Juliet. In this musical, the entirety of Shakespeare’s play was changed to fit his wife, Anne Hathaway’s preference. In her adaptation, Juliet survives and attempts to establish a new life in Paris, away from her family and friends in Verona.

The story continued with many twists and turns as well as incredible singing and dancing numbers, such as ‘I kissed a girl’ by Katy Perry , ‘Confidant’ by Demi Lovato, and ‘Hit me Baby One More Time’ by Britney Spears.

Equally as filled with love and romance as Shakespeare’s original plot line, the different couples of Frankie and May, the Nurse and Lance, Anne and William and of course Juliet and Romeo (how it should be said!), provided much entertainment in their different storylines.

As Act Two began and we enjoyed our ice creams, expectations were high, and they were certainly met. A wedding was broken up, two characters got married and Juliet even performed a high energy, empowering feminist number (Roar by Katy Perry), completely remoulding the classic beliefs associated with Shakespearean society’s surrounding the freedom and liberty of a woman.

And then it was time for the final number. 'I got a feeling' by Justin Timberlake got all of us up clapping, cheering and dancing, smiles were all around! The confetti cannons were popped and cheers broke out everywhere. A standing ovation from the QAS sixth form, and an overall 10/10 performance!