David West Read Archives - North West End UK

21May

By NewsdeskNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

& Juliet – Sheffield Lyceum

& Juliet storms the Sheffield Lyceum this May, with the west-end blockbuster reframing the classic romantic tragedy to great effect. Ironic gender-bending, scenes of female empowerment married to laddish disruption, there is something for everyone here. Soundtracked to Swedish pop-anthem writer Max Martin, songs from the catalogues of the Backstreet Boys and Bob Jovi to Jessie J and Katy Perry boom from Verona to Shoreditch. It’s a journey worth taking for partygoers and story-lovers alike. The design of this show is particularly astounding. Audiences are treated to perhaps one of the most dynamic and alive sets they’re likely to see on stage. Stellar skylines are transient and embellish the shifting fixtures beautifully. The lighting design is also ambitious, bold and handled effec...

29Oct

By Damian RiverolNo Comments

North West

& Juliet – Liverpool Empire

What would happen if Juliet decided not to end it all when she finds Romeo dead? What would happen if when writing Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare’s wife, Ann, has a share of the writing and what we thought we knew about this well-known play is altered completely? For the better? For the worse? Well, we are here to find out. With book by David West Read and Music and Lyrics by Swedish pop song writer, Max Martin and Friends, we are taken on a bright, exciting, loud journey of discovery, love, and the meaning of compromise. The show opens with the company of players milling around the stage, interacting with the audience and treating us to some incredible dancing before an explosion of colour and life hits us and we are thrown into this rollercoaster of a story. Matt Cardle is extrem...

8Oct

By Robert BartleyNo Comments

West Midlands

& Juliet – Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

The name ‘Max Martin’ doesn’t immediately ring a lot of bells for most people, but the chances are you actually know him pretty well. Martin is the writer and producer of a mammoth number of hit songs over the last three decades and is a huge driving force behind the careers of global acts including Britney Spears, Katy Perry, Backstreet Boys, Pink and countless others. Seeing the theatrical potential in this catalogue of iconic bangers, ‘Schitt’s Creek’ writer David West Read was enlisted to adapt one of William Shakespeare’s most famous plays, and so, ‘& Juliet’ was born. 90s boybands and star-crossed lovers may not seem the most obvious pairing at first, but ‘& Juliet’ made it work, gaining an adoring fandom in its Manchester and London runs. Now it’s the...

24Jul

By Paddy Darnell-WalshNo Comments

North West

& Juliet – Opera House, Blackpool

Ever wondered what might’ve happened if Juliet hadn’t died? Well, there’s life after Romeo! With a hilarious script from David West Read (Schitt’s Creek), the story offers Juliet a new beginning, and a second chance at love, as it explores what might’ve happened if she hadn’t ended it all over Romeo. Intertwined with pop hits by song-writing juggernaut, Max Martin, & Juliet feels fresh, fearless and an awful lot of fun. The opening number, ‘Larger than Life’, set the tone for the evening. Everything about this show, indeed, felt larger than life! The set design from Soutra Gilmour was epic, using a very clever blend of moving furniture and projections to bring the stage to life. Video designs and animations, from Andrzej Goulding, were similarly superb. Paloma Young’s costume design...

8Apr

By Gemma PrinceNo Comments

London

& Juliet – Shaftesbury Theatre

“What if Juliet didn’t kill herself?” is the premise of & Juliet, a fun, feminist retelling of Shakespeare’s famous love story. David West Read’s book reimagines what would happen when Shakespeare is persuaded by his wife Anne Hathaway to re-write the ending, bringing Juliet back to life for a whirlwind journey of self-discovery. With music and lyrics by Max Martin, Luke Sheppard’s production takes everything we know about Romeo and Juliet and gives it a glittery, pop-fuelled makeover that on paper sounds crazy but in reality, is quite the opposite. With Max Martin and his collaborator's extensive catalogue of songs, from Katy Perry to Ariana Grande, each number is carefully thought out, adding a new dimension as the plot moves along, which other jukebox musicals often struggle with...