“& Juliet”: a new kind of love story without Romeo

“Are you a strong enough man to write a strong woman?” Anne Hathaway asked her husband, William Shakespeare. He finally relented and allowed Hathaway to rewrite the character of Juliet into someone who wouldn’t end their life when their lover died. 

For two hours and 30 minutes, the musical “& Juliet” followed Hathaway’s journey to self-discovery through her guidance of Juliet. She helped Juliet navigate her complex emotions and love life using advice she wished someone had given her when she was younger.

The show was dense with feminine as well as romantic motifs, yet also held plenty of space for comedy and Shakespearean-inspired puns. The jokes were a great break from the intensity of the social justice arguments being made, and the social arguments themselves felt well-timed. Not only were they well timed within the show, but they also felt intensely aligned with modern-day issues of feminism, acceptance, and equality. 

To start, some of the main characters identified as LGBTQ+. While many of the other characters were supportive, the show added small jabs into the lines of supporting roles to show the audience the daily struggles of being a part of the LGBTQ+ community. 

This show was also one of the first I’ve seen whose cast was not Eurocentric. Some might make the argument that Juliet was light-skinned based on the original story’s setting and timing, but straying from this prejudiced ideal proved just how pointless it was in the first place, and made Juliet an even more powerful idol. 

Large parts of the show were donated to the backing of feminism, portraying strong female characters that did not need a man to take care of them. Another part of the show was dedicated to proving that a woman in love is not helpless: just because someone else is taking care of her, it doesn’t mean she cannot take care of herself. 

This musical made me feel seen for who I am and allowed me to realize that being chaotic and crazy is okay, it doesn’t make you weak. Sometimes, not having a plan is the best plan you can have, as it will allow you to try new things and meet new people.