Aggressively Millennial: A dialogue on & Juliet

Abstract

The authors of this dialogue, two Millennial theatre scholars, spill the tea on the West End and Toronto productions of & Juliet on the eve of its transfer to Broadway. This conversation considers the successes and challenges of & Juliet as a contemporary jukebox musical, and includes analyses of the integration of Max Martin’s songbook and David West Read’s libretto. The authors discuss audience reception in London and Toronto while signalling why Millennial audiences might be drawn to the musical. This dialogue questions & Juliet’s role as a critical piece of popular culture, musical theatre history and Shakespearian adaptation, while considering what & Juliet offers to the canon of Shakespearean remixes.