David West Read Archives - North West End UK

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...

& 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...

& 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...