A story of more wow than woe: & Juliet comes to The Q

Posted on 11 March, 2026

There was never a story of more woe than of Juliet and her Romeo. But what if Juliet didn’t die? What if she rewrote her fate?

Combine a script by Emmy®–winning writer David West Read (Schitt’s Creek), an electrifying soundtrack and a journey of self-discovery, and you have & Juliet, the smash-hit musical that reimagines Shakespeare’s most famous heroine.

And from Tuesday 31 March until Sunday 26 April, Free-Rain Theatre Company will be bringing it to The Q in Queanbeyan,  following a West End run.

& Juliet takes William Shakespeare’s tragedy and turns it on its head, seeing the playwright challenged by his spirited and disgruntled wife, Anne Hathaway, to rewrite the ending of Romeo and Juliet.

Wanting a story where Juliet doesn’t take her own life, what follows is a witty and contemporary story that sets the literary figure on a whole new path.

Played by 18-year-old Chloe Stevenson, this version of Juliet is nothing like Shakespeare’s tragic heroine – she’s a modern young woman who refuses to let other people write her ending.

“It’s a story about a girl who chooses herself. The show follows Juliet’s journey to self-discovery through the celebration of female autonomy,” explains Chloe.

“Ultimately, & Juliet proves the idea that women can not only face challenges and setbacks, but through them, they can actually rewrite their own narrative.”

Credit: Katie Lis.

Unfolding as a tug-of-war between Shakespeare and his wife, for Vanessa Valois, stepping into the shoes of Anne Hathaway felt like slipping into herself on stage.

Mirroring her own journey as a mum, wife, and individual trying to maintain her own identity, she originally had written off the musical as something for younger audiences.

Then she heard the soundtrack by legendary songwriter Max Martin.

“I just thought, oh, maybe this isn’t for me,” she says. “It might be a bit too ‘young person’s show’ – that sort of vibe.”

“I was struck by how many incredible millennial anthems were in there; I knew basically every song. And then the role of Anne really stood out to me: a slightly more mature woman on a path of self-discovery later in life. I found her role really powerful.”

Historically, not much is known about the real Anne Hathaway.

Tending to appear in Shakespeare’s biography as a supporting character, in & Juliet her journey parallels Juliet’s as her own confidence grows and she questions her husband’s story.

Then, she decides to step into it and take control of the narrative, as well as her own life.

“By the end, she writes herself into the story as one of Juliet’s friends,” Vanessa explains.

“She goes along with this young group, pretending to be one of them, and finds this spirit she then carries through the show. It’s like a concert, and a rom-com and a Shakespeare play all in one.”

And what’s a rom-com without a killer soundtrack?

Blending contemporary humour with Shakespearean storytelling, the whole soundtrack of the jukebox musical is based on famous pop anthems people grew up belting out in their own bedroom.

From Baby One More Time, to I Kissed A Girl, Roar, and It’s My Life, the music propels the story forward as Juliet learns the true power of identity, self-acceptance and love.

“It’s really cool how they’ve created a show around music everyone knows, but also the storyline that it’s just more focused towards Juliet’s life, rather than the romance side of it with her and Romeo,” says Chloe.

“The music hasn’t been written for the story. They’ve added the music to fit the story.”

Describing the show as “fun, frothy, and camp” for both women, & Juliet offers a joyful and empowering take on one of the world’s most well-known love stories.

Because – much like the original story – & Juliet is ultimately about love, the recklessness of youth and the conflict between personal desire and rigid societal constraints.

“She’s almost a character that I want to become when I’m older,” explains Chloe.

“For young women, there’s this quiet pressure at 18, or when you finish school, to have everything figured out. As I’ve studied this character, I’m learning that it’s okay to build as you go.”

“It’s scary sometimes facing challenges and facing your dreams, but I think it’s scarier not trying. This show is really telling an important message, and that’s why it’s important for not only just young women, but everyone to come see it”.

As Vanessa puts it, beneath the glitter, confetti and pop-powered soundtrack lies something deeper. At its heart, & Juliet proves that life does not end after heartbreak – it begins again, full of possibility and hope.

“It’s essentially joyful feminism,” she explains.

“It’s not angry; it’s celebratory. It rewrites expectations – in relationships, in careers, in identities – and it empowers the characters to put themselves first, which I just love.”

The only thing tragic about this show is missing it.

Feature image: Janelle McMenamin.