The Bard gets a makeover for Bairnsdale
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
When it comes to writing timeless theatre, none can match William Shakespeare – but the team of David West Read and Max Martin do a pretty good job of bringing The Bard roaring into the 21st Century. Opening at Bairnsdale’s Forge Theatre on May 1, the jukebox musical & Juliet promises not only to shake up Shakespeare, but to have audiences up and dancing.
Staged by East Gippsland’s pre-eminent community theatre group, Bairnsdale Production Line Theatre Company, & Juliet features a collection of the region’s best musical theatre all-round performers, belting out a range of slightly-tweaked hits from the likes of Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, Jessie J, Kesha, Katy Perry, and many more - all woven through a cheeky rewrite of the classic tragic love story, Romeo & Juliet.
The title deliberately omits the young Lothario Romeo, as this is a play that asks the question, “What if Juliet didn’t die with Romeo, but instead forged a new life for herself?” That doesn’t mean Romeo is excluded – far from it – but he finds himself having to fit a new storyline – as does Shakespeare himself, as the playwright’s wife Anne Hathaway controls the new narrative.
It’s a fun romp from start to finish, although & Juliet does tackle some serious issues. Not least is the role parents play – as they always have – in the choices their children make about life and love. Playing Juliet’s overbearing and meddlesome parents, Lord and Lady Capulet, are Chris Axe and Maddie Clark. It’s their high-handed demand that Juliet abandon her love, Romeo, and take herself off to live in a convent, that kicks off an adventure that diverts and subverts Shakespeare’s original storyline – all guided by the hand of Anne Hathaway, who also manages to write herself into the plot.
Chris and Maddie are worlds apart in terms of theatrical experience, but as a team they make the very most of their moments on stage together. Maddie is well-known to local theatregoers, having played soprano lead and supporting roles in a raft of musicals around East Gippsland in recent years, as well as performing at events such as Opera by the Lakes. In this show, she’s taken on a double workload, as she is also Choral Director, in charge of all on-stage singers and the team of off-stage singers who provide backing vocals.
“It certainly takes a bit of time-management”, Maddie said, “but & Juliet is a great show, musically, and the singers are such a talented bunch, so I see my role as a gift rather than a burden”.
Maddie’s on-stage husband, Chris Axe, has come to the stage more recently, having been ‘bitten by the bug’ in 2019, but since then he has appeared regularly in plays and musicals, as well as working backstage. In & Juliet, his biggest challenge has been converting his native American accent to that of a 15th Century nobleman.
“Every new show is a new learning experience for me”, Chris said. “I’m so fortunate to be surrounded by the likes of Maddie, the other cast members, and the great directing team – it just makes the journey so much fun. And I think the audiences will pick up that spirit and love every moment of the show”.
& Juliet runs over ten performances at the Forge Theatre, from May 1 to May 17, with three matinee performances. The show includes adult themes and mild coarse language, and is recommended for audiences 8 and over.
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