Grace Proulx
Anchor Contributor
The Providence Performing Arts Center’s (PPAC) production of “& Juliet” masterfully transforms one of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies into a laugh-out-loud comedy. Utilizing the presence of Shakespeare and his wife, Anne Hathaway, familiar pop songs and a twist on the original Romeo and Juliet story, the tragedy was reborn.
The play reimagines what could have happened if Juliet had chosen to live after Romeo’s death, framing this alternate storyline as a live rewrite by Shakespeare and Anne, who actively insert themselves into the narrative. Anne makes herself Juliet's best friend and constantly rewrites the story in fantastical ways to Romeo and Juliet’s advantage; like creating a horse-drawn carriage that brings them from Verona to Paris. Meanwhile, Shakespeare himself is working to bring the story back to its more tragic roots by writing in conflicts against his wife’s wishes. He even brings Romeo back from the dead only for the drama.
The constant back-and-forth between husband and wife over the direction of the story adds an extra layer of humor and tension, making the play not only a fresh take on “Romeo & Juliet”, but also a playful exploration of creative control and storytelling.
The production’s use of well-known pop songs was both entertaining and emotionally impactful. Many moments had the audience laughing, but there were also instances where the theater fell into silence as the actors masterfully conveyed the complex emotions the characters felt as they traversed this new story. Rather than performing all the songs as direct copies of the originals, the production treated some of them as covers, altering the tone to suit each scene’s mood. In some cases songs were even mashed together and interrupted by conversation, creating entirely new meanings that heightened the story’s emotional depth. These impactful musical moments included classics such as “Larger than Life” by the Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears’s “Baby One More Time” and more.
The play was only enhanced by one's familiarity with the original “Romeo and Juliet,” as it cleverly weaves elements of the classic tragedy into its fresh, comedic reimagining. This is especially evident in the grand ball scene, where Juliet once again meets and impulsively decides to marry a boy she just met. However, it twists the narrative by making neither of them truly in love with the other—they are merely using each other for their own selfish reasons.
Instead of centering on this shallow romance, the play shifts focus to more heartfelt love stories. For example, Juliet’s nanny, who unexpectedly reunites with an old affair of hers who has since divorced and is now ready to pick up where they left off. Another romance emerges between Juliet’s new best friend, May—a queer, nonbinary character—who falls in love with Juliet’s new fiancé, Francois aka Frankie. Unlike Juliet and Frankie who do not love each other, May and Frankie find that they truly do and fight for their right to be together. These fresh takes on love and relationships add depth and modern relevance to the story through comedic teenage angst while keeping its romantic themes alive.
Readers interested in the heart of Providence’s theater scene can find tickets to shows like “& Juliet” on PPAC’s website.
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