Review: Mirvish's & JULIET Dazzles with a Phenomenal Cast

Three and a half years after making its North American debut at the theatre next door, the now smash hit Broadway Musical & JULIET has made a grand return to Toronto at Mirvish’s Royal Alexandra Theatre with a stellar all-Canadian cast. And based on the audience reaction on Opening Night, it might be here for a while!

For those who may have missed it the last time around, & JULIET has been described as a Max Martin Mega-mix musical. Max Martin of course being the producer of some of the top pop songs of the last few decades (think Backstreet, Britney, ‘NSync, Ariana, Katy, Celine, etc). The pop music utilized in this show is fun and familiar for many, but is particularly nostalgic for millennials. The way it is woven into the story is exceptionally clever, sometimes leading to laugh out loud moments.

Also a source of nostalgia is the play Romeo & Juliet – something we all read in high school. But this time, the story (Book by David West Read) ends a little bit differently.

The first characters we meet in & JULIET are an ensemble of Elizabethan players, William Shakespeare himself, and his wife Anne. Anne takes issue with the bleak ending of R&J and suggests a bit of a rewrite. This is when the story of the rest of Juliet’s life comes alive – bringing to the forefront women and queer characters, comedic moments, twists and turns, and fantastic music along the way.

George Krissa and Julia McClellan are wonderful as William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway. The chemistry and ease with which they play off one another in both comedic and the more dramatic moments make them the perfect pair to take us on this journey.

Krissa’s take on Shakespeare is delightful. The character is hilariously uneasy as he struggles with the idea of relinquishing the quill to his wife. He continues to comedically try to assert his dominance by inserting his ideas (and sometimes himself) into the story when she isn't looking. His vocals and dance moves are excellent as well. Krissa is a star and it’s no wonder this is his third Mirvish production this year.

McClellan is instantly loveable as Anne – a character based on a real person who, unlike her famous husband, we don’t know much about. Just like she rewrites Juliet’s story, this musical rewrites hers and allows the audience to imagine her as the 3-dimensional woman that she certainly was – even if our imaginings are entirely fictional. This Anne is independent and quirky and the ultimate ‘girl’s girl’ – as evidenced by the fact that she writes herself into the story as one of Juliet’s best friends. McClellan blends humour and vocal prowess with genuine relatable emotion as Anne navigates both Juliet's story and her own.

One might say that & JULIET feels like a fever dream of a sequel to ROMEO AND JULIET in which we get to see what happens next for Juliet. For theatre goers who were lucky enough to see Vanessa Sears’ portrayal of Juliet in the 2024 Stratford Festival production of the classic play, this is even more so the case. Although almost everything about this show is different from the play and showcases entirely different skillsets from Sears, she still manages to embody the classic ‘Juliet’ in this performance. It’s evident that Sears possesses an ever-present understanding of every facet of the character. This lends a certain gravitas to her portrayal I did not even know could exist in this musical. It in no way detracts from this version of Juliet either. It simply amplifies it. What joy it must be to play out this two and a half hour 'alternate ending' after dying on stage as this character for 6 months.

Juliet is the star of this show and with that comes quite the load vocally and physically. Sears is up to the task. She sings and dances her heart out and sounds great doing it. It is nothing short of an honour to be able to say I have seen her shine as both versions of Juliet. I’m now convinced that there is literally nothing she can’t do.

To a person, this cast - assembled from all over the country - is phenomenal. As two characters who audiences will not be familiar with, Brandon Antonio and Matt Raffy immediately endear themselves as Francois (‘Frankie’) and May. These two were part of the ensemble in the 2022 Toronto production and made their Broadway debuts with the Original Broadway Cast of & JULIET later that year. Their presence in this production doesn’t just feel right, it feels necessary. They are Canada’s Frankie and May and they are both wonderful.

David Jeffery's version of Romeo is perfect for this story. Audiences will find themselves simultaneously laughing, rolling their eyes, and clutching their pearls at the vocals. 

As Juliet’s nurse Angelique, Sarah Nairne is unforgettable. She’s both hilarious and tender and her vocals elicit literal chills. David Silvestri is also hilarious and tender as Francois’ father Lance. There is no one better to lead a boy band than this guy. The two have great chemistry as they offer the audience yet another pair of star crossed lovers to root for.

In many ways, the heart of & Juliet is its ensemble. They hit every beat hard and take turns with fun featured dance and vocal moments throughout the show. The contagious energy from the ensemble had the opening night audience excited from the start.

With a clever story, a dazzling set, stunning costumes, and music hit after music hit, there is a lot to love about this production of & JULIET, but at the end of the day, the winning ingredient is the incredible cast. This is a show that is meant to be seen again and again. And I will be doing that.

& JULIET is playing at Mirvish's Royal Alexandra Theatre and is currently scheduled to run until May 17th.