AFTER a successful run in London’s West End, & Juliet is heading to the Cornwall Playhouse in Truro from June 10 to 14 as part of its national tour.

Picking up three Olivier Awards and six WhatsOnStage Awards, & Juliet is a show that’s stolen the hearts of musical lovers looking for something fresh.

Emmy-winning Schitt’s Creek writer, David West Read, asked the question, ‘what if Juliet didn’t end it all after Romeo?’, flipping the script on the traditional story to create a brand-new romantic comedy musical.

The show tells its story through a playlist of nineties and noughties pop anthems from songwriter and producer Max Martin, including Britney Spears’ …Baby One More Time, Katy Perry’s Roar and chart toppers Since U Been Gone, It’s My Life, I Want It That Way, and Can’t Stop the Feeling.

It’s an empowering story that reimagines the finale of the famous play, offering a fresh beginning for Juliet, rather than her classic demise. Praised for its handling of the themes of inclusivity, identity, self-confidence and female-empowerment, & Juliet couples a powerful story with energetic performances, vibrant visuals, and memorable music.

The Wanted band member and 2015 Strictly Come Dancing winner Jay McGuiness plays Shakespeare himself, a character who, along with his wife, Anne, become key characters as the story unfolds. With Anne intervening in the narrative, Juliet gets a second chance at life, embarking on a journey to Paris where she discovers her own identity and finds new love.

When asked how the story differs from the original tale, Steps’ Lee Latchford-Evans, who plays Lance, said, “It's not the Romeo and Juliet that everyone knows. It's more about life for Juliet after the familiar story, with Shakespeare and his wife Anne Hathaway arguing over how the tale is meant to play out.

“It's about how her life goes on without Romeo, who and what she encounters, and all the characters within that. So, it's not your typical Romeo and Juliet story. It's a comedy and it's a musical so if you're going along expecting something like A Midsummer Night's Dream or Hamlet then you might be a bit shocked!”

This multi award-winning musical forms a central pillar of the variety of musicals coming to Hall for Cornwall this year. & Juliet follows on from Only Fools and Horses: The Musical in May, and shortly after it’s run, The Rocky Horror Show returns to Truro in late June.

To book tickets, visit: www.hallforcornwall.co.uk/whats-on/juliet/#Details_in