Last night Loverboy’s Hannah Ford hit Bristol’s Hippodrome for the opening performance of the new UK & Ireland tour of the West End smash – & Juliet…

Jam-packed with some of the biggest songs from arguably pop’s greatest producer, Max Martin, the show imagines an alternative universe where Shakespeare’s Juliet never took that fateful poison. Instead she chose her own destiny and took a second chance on love. Based on the book by David West Read (Schitt’s Creek), & Juliet plays with the most famous hetero love story of all time, but still “holds space” for a queer character.

Now given the pitch, my expectations were high, but last night was the most joyuous way to kick off 2025. The script was hilarious and worked so well with some of the millennium’s biggest tracks from Britney and Backstreet Boys. It truly felt like a world class panto with a Now That’s What I Call POP soundtrack. While the first half gave me the camp energy and witty humour I had come for, it was the second act that hit me with a tidal wave of emotion. Suddenly, the story wasn’t just Juliet’s – it was mine too.

Watching Juliet grapple with the pull of her past and the prospect of rewriting her future made me confront my own love story. The show posed a question I hadn’t dared ask myself: Am I longing to rekindle the past, or is it time to let go and rewrite my story?

While strictly speaking the night may have been about Juliet, the character that had my full attention was Jordan Broatch‘s portrayal of non-binary May and their own romantic journey. With a musical so full of youth and fun, the community can so proud seeing a such positive representation onstage.  Much like Miriam Margolyes in Romeo + Juliet before her, it is the incredible Sandra Marvin who steals the show as Juliet’s nurse, Angelique. With her outstanding voice, impeccable comedic timing and a warmth that lit up the stage, she brought a magnetic energy to every moment onstage. Also featuring in the cast of this tour are The Wanted’s Jay McGuiness in the role of Shakespeare and Steps’ Lee Latchford-Evans alternating with TV’s Dr Ranj Singh in the role of Lance.

The whole cast really bring such a magic to the stage, with their incredible dancing and all the powerful voices, it was like a more contemporary Moulin Rouge with the vocal chops of Pitch Perfect and at its heart, a story all of its own. This isn’t just Shakespeare’s Juliet reimagined—it’s her revolution, one full of glitter, empowerment, and unapologetic queerness

& Juliet is a story of freedom: the freedom to love, to be, and most importantly, to rewrite your own story. And for anyone in the LGBTQ+ community, that’s a message we can all rally behind.

& Juliet is at the Bristol Hippodrome until 25th January then tours the UK & Ireland until June. 
For full dates and links to tickets see www.andjulietthemusic.co.uk.