PACA Productions: & Juliet - Review by Joshua Straw

As an English teacher, I’ve spent many lessons wading through Romeo and Juliet with my students, trying (and often failing) to summon enthusiasm for what I’ve always considered one of Shakespeare’s more overrated tragedies. Star-crossed lovers, hasty decisions, and a plot that barrels toward inevitable doom? Hardly the stuff of inspiration. So imagine my surprise- and delight- when & Juliet, a glitter-soaked, pop-powered jukebox musical, managed not only to resuscitate the tale but to gleefully dissect and rebuild it into something clever, campy, and irresistibly fun. This is Shakespeare with a sequined mic in one hand and a Max Martin beat in the other, and frankly, it’s the remix I didn’t know I needed.

Photography courtesy of Grant Leslie

PACA Productions has done an excellent job of cooking & Juliet’s cheesy goodness to perfection. Co-Director/Musical Directors Rodrigo Noël and William Pulley, as well as associate Musical Director Ziv Pinco, have a clear understanding of both script and score, and use this knowledge to create a wonderful performance. This show, while silly, is clever, and I appreciated that the self-knowing jokes made throughout could not be accomplished without a strong production team steering the ship. A pop score would not be complete without show-stopping choreography, and this was delivered in spades by Janina Hamerlok. Her passion was beyond evident, and there can be no doubt from the audience that she worked closely with the cast to ensure this feat of success. A show like this is a huge undertaking, and the synergy between this team has led to powerful storytelling backed with killer dance moves.

Important credit should be given to Set Designer Tony Odling and Costume Designer Erica Williams. The design of this set was incredibly playful and ambitious, and while some of the choices made did not fully resonate with me, it allowed for visually striking and wondrous moments throughout the show. The costuming invited me into this subverted Shakespearean reality - there was a fantastic balance between Shakespearean and pop wonderland, with the only thing missing being Taylor Swift holding a glitter gel-quill.

Photography courtesy of Grant Leslie

This was a big cast, and I am going to start by taking my hat off to the ensemble. The dancing in this production is intense, and every beat was nailed and so much fun to watch. There was a confidence and joy on stage that oozed of seasoned professionalism, and I hope you are all proud of what you have created together. 

Jade Lee brings a fierce vulnerability to Juliet, blending youthful passion with emotional depth. Her performance is both radiant and grounded, breathing fresh life into one of Shakspeare’s most iconic roles. Baxter Waller brings youthful bravado to Romeo, while also being tender and earnest where it counts. Waller embodies cringe in a way that you can truly feel it, but I felt that was the point and deeply appreciated his physicality and ability to light up the stage. Ben James is captivating as the Bard himself, leaning into the wit of the character to achieve some highly entertaining moments that lend itself to the metatextual nature of the show. Marika Zorlu brings the perfect intensity to Anne and is a standout character to me, perfectly capturing the complexity of a woman caught between love, legacy and loss. The goosebumps I got from her solo in ‘That’s the Way it Is’ was worth the cost of admission alone. I really enjoyed the chemistry in the scenes shared by James and Zorlu.

Photography courtesy of Grant Leslie

Brad Clarke infuses lance with some great comedic timing and, more importantly, heart. His physicality and silliness could often steal your focus in a scene and it was so much fun. Annette Vitetta commands the space as Angelique, a whirlwind of flair and fire. She was a magnetic presence on stage for me, delivering both comedic highs and dramatic depths. Her performance was bold and unpredictable, which is why I loved it. Daniel Timmins delivers a heartfelt and nuanced performance as May. I could see a real focus on the quiet strength and sincerity of this character and their experience, which beautifully contrasted more chaotic moments in the story. Ryan McLean’s Francois does a great job of navigating heartache and humour with equal skill. His expressive (and at times angsty) energy made him extremely likeable on stage and I enjoyed seeing the journey his character went on.

Photography courtesy of Grant Leslie

As opening nights go, there were a few jitters here and there which I’m sure will be ironed out, and even as the night went on I could feel some of these nerves start to unwind. Microphone cues were missed on a few key moments, and at times the intense lighting directed at the audience could be pared back to better view the marvel on stage, but even so I still had a wonderful time throughout the evening.

I don’t think any jukebox musical can be considered ‘perfect’, but that is also irrelevant. The point of a show like this is to have fun, and PACA Productions absolutely delivers on that. If you get the chance, head over to Riverside Theatre in Parramatta to check it out for yourself… just be careful that you don’t end up singing along!